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He nurtures relationships with the sport’s biggest stars, has a paycheck of over 100 million nok, and is referred to as sport’s unknown spider.
Who is the Norwegian who juggles sports stars, 60,000 employees and a turnover of over NOK 200 billion? I am a sports fanatic who has been very lucky to work with sports all my life, chuckles Bjørn Gulden, when asked if he is the business answer to Erling Haaland.
He is the Norwegian CEO of Adidas. The world’s second largest sports brand. He has tried to sign Haaland as a profile. First when he was CEO of Puma, then to Adidas. Haaland chose Nike.
I don’t know what I am. I couldn’t get Erling Haaland to Puma or Adidas, I did a bad job there. I tried twice. I was with his dad (Alfie) at Bryne when I played there, but they chose something else, says the 59-year-old with a laugh.
After a football career in Germany and at top level in Norway, the road continued to Adidas. There he was responsible for textiles in the early 90s. Twenty years later, he was chief executive of competitor Puma.
As a manager at Puma, he fell in love with Usain Bolt and Pep Guardiola. Back home in Norway, he signed an agreement with the Swedish Athletics Federation and Karsten Warholm.
He is referred to by VG as “sport’s unknown spider”. One example of that is when he had Usain Bolt visit Norway. In 2018, Bolt trained with Strømsgodset, a club Gulden played for in the 80s – before his professional life in Nuremberg.
After Puma, it was back to Adidas. Usain Bolt, Karsten Warholm and Pep Guardiola have been replaced by Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham and Antonio Nusa.
You know, Messi … I can’t explain what he really means. The fact that he went to MLS was amazing. He has raised interest in football throughout the country, says Gulden.
Surely you have something to do with him? He is a great guy. He is one of the kindest athletes you can imagine. We were even together last week, says Gulden, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Although Adidas is a larger organisation, with 60,000 employees, Gulden is still very much operational. On Friday, he was present at Bislett when NFIF signed a record deal with Gulden’s Adidas.
This summer, Antonio Nusa extended his contract with Adidas. It was an agreement Gulden himself greatly enjoyed. Nusa is funny because we live in Germany and he plays for Leipzig. He is a unique talent. I don’t think people realize his potential. I was very happy when he chose to stay with us. There were many who wanted him, says Gulden about the Norwegian golden boy, while his old golden boy from his time at Puma.
Messi junto al CEO de Adidas, Bjørn Gulden, para Footwear News. pic.twitter.com/K9CuyV33G2
— Messismo (@Messismo10) June 4, 2024
That a young player like Nusa signs is not accidental. Adidas bets young. This summer, Toni Kroos retired. In addition, the aforementioned Messi is on the cusp of his career. In recent years, Jude Bellingham, Antonio Nusa and Lamine Yamal have signed.
It has always been important (to meet young people). Look at Yamal. Even Messi was there because he is a crazy good player, says Gulden, who also mentions Anthony Edwards in the NBA and Patrick Mahomes from the NFL as similar signings.
It is almost three years since Gulden became the top boss at Adidas. At the same time, the company was in a pinch. It stormed around Kanye West. The company and the artist had a fruitful collaboration. The Yeezy shoes were a huge success, but Kanye West ended up in trouble, among other things for anti-Semitism.
Adidas broke off the collaboration. It cost. Gulden prefers not to talk too much about the conflict. That story has been mentioned in so many ways, and it started before I started. It’s over for me, says the 59-year-old. When Gulden came to Adidas, the company was not where it should be, says the CEO himself.
It was a “turnaround”. It was not good two years ago, but we have turned it around, he says now. This summer, the numbers came that confirmed it. Profitability had doubled from the previous year. Gulden earned over 100 million nok according to E24. The majority consisted of bonus and incentive programs.
It is easier to take over something that is at the bottom than something that is at the top. It’s luck, good timing and hard work. We’ve had all those things. Now we have good momentum. In a difficult world. It’s complicated with a lot of war in the world, says Gulden before making a realization:
It’s hard work, but a lot of fun. I can’t think of a better industry to work in. Being a sports fan and getting to travel around to meet the big stars. That sounds nice? I’m not complaining, concludes Gulden smiling.
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