PUMA India appoints Sridharan as MD, takes over from Karthik Balagopalan

New Delhi: Sportswear company PUMA has appointed Ramprasad Sridharan, 49, as Managing Director of PUMA India. He is set to assume the role in December 2025 and will report to PUMA Chief Commercial Officer Matthias Bäumer.

Sridharan has more than 25 years of experience in brand building across the Asia Pacific region, covering digital growth and commercial strategy. He most recently served as CEO and Managing Director at United Colors of Benetton India, leading large-scale transformation initiatives.

Sridharan succeeds Karthik Balagopalan, who decided to pursue new interests outside the company. Bäumer added, “I want to also thank Karthik for his two decades with PUMA and wish him the best for his future.”

Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Clarks and Reebok India. His professional focus has included commercial strategy, leadership, organisational development, driving change and transformation, and fostering high-performance work environments.

“Ram is a highly experienced leader with a strong track record in the fashion and footwear industry. He brings deep retail expertise to PUMA that will strengthen our operations and support India as one of our key markets,” said

PUMA Chief Commercial Officer Matthias Bäumer. “I am confident that his strong background will help accelerate PUMA India’s growth and play a crucial role in turning our global strategic priorities into regional success.”