#26 Adidas — Strategic Initiative & Reskilling | Global Intelligence Report 2024-2026

Revenue

$25B

Yeezy Write-down

$1.5B

Recovery

Profitable 2024

CEO

Bjørn Gulden

Key Strategic Initiative — Review 1: Restructuring Profile

Yeezy Exit & Brand Recovery — Own the Game 2.0

Brand Restructuring & Recovery Strategy Stage: Implementation → Scaling

Adidas terminated the Yeezy partnership ($1.5B write-down), restructured product strategy around performance sport, and relaunched Own the Game 2.0 under CEO Bjørn Gulden. The recovery was remarkable: Adidas repackaged remaining Yeezy inventory into profitable releases, returned to profitability in 2024, and rebuilt brand credibility through athlete partnerships, DTC growth, and product design renaissance.

Review 2: Reskilling Imperatives — Skill Gap Analysis

Commercial + Digital + Brand

Brand crisis management

88%

DTC digital commerce

86%

Consumer analytics & AI

82%

Authentic brand storytelling

85%

Athlete partnership management

80%

Limited drop / hype marketing

79%

Affected Workforce Segments

Brand marketersProduct designersDTC digital teamsRetail managers

Learning Infrastructure Required

Adidas Learning Hub (Herzogenaurach)
Digital Commerce Academy
Partnership with LIM College for brand management

Recommended Learning & Reskilling Modalities

1Adidas Learning Hub DTC tracks
2Brand management certification
3AI consumer insights workshops
4Sustainability marketing programs