Adidas CEO Shares Number with 60,000 Employees—Here's Why

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In a bid to promote transparency at Adidas, CEO Bjorn Gulden took an unconventional step by sharing his mobile number with approximately 60,000 employees during a town hall meeting, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The move aimed to foster direct communication and address concerns within the company.

Upon assuming leadership in January 2023, Gulden, a former professional football player, inherited a challenging situation at Adidas. The company was grappling with a significant operational loss of 724 million euros in the last quarter of 2022. Furthermore, Adidas had recently ended its partnership with American rapper Kanye West, who now goes by the name Ye.

Acknowledging the potential perception of his action as unconventional, Gulden emphasized the importance of leaders being unfiltered. Seeking to turnaround the company's fortunes, he sought to address concerns raised by employees regarding transparency. Following the disclosure of his phone number, employees reportedly made 200 calls per week, expressing their views and requesting changes in the business.

Gulden's management style and decisions have indeed been impactful. He swiftly implemented changes, including dismissing consultants, reintroducing sports like cricket with significant fan bases, streamlining upper management communications, and eliminating a time-consuming evaluation process. One notable achievement was the signing of a brand sponsorship deal with the Indian cricket team in 2023, leading to the sale of 600,000 jerseys in India within three months.

Gulden's leadership has had a positive impact on Adidas's financial performance. After a year under his guidance, the company is expected to turn a profit, and its shares have nearly doubled since his return, outperforming its American competitor, Nike.

While Gulden faced challenges such as managing over $1 billion in unsold Yeezy sneakers, he made a decisive move to sell the inventory and donate a portion of the revenues to organizations combating racism. He praised the Yeezy collaboration as one of the best creations by a sports company, despite its controversial end. Gulden expressed optimism about future collaborations with celebrities to fill the void left by Yeezy, acknowledging the difficulty in replicating its success. He acknowledged that his management style might be polarizing, with some embracing it while others may not, emphasizing the need for bold actions in the dynamic sports industry.