Karthik Balagopalan has stepped down as Managing Director of PUMA India to focus on family priorities in Germany. Associated with PUMA since 2006, he previously led its global retail and e-commerce. A key figure in driving PUMA’s D2C growth in India, he succeeded former MD Abhishek Ganguly.
Karthik Balagopalan, one of the longest-serving leaders at PUMA globally, has stepped down as Managing Director of PUMA India to focus on family priorities in Germany, marking the end of an impactful chapter in the brand’s India growth story. His departure comes after an illustrious association with PUMA that began in 2006 and spanned key leadership roles across retail, e-commerce, and global strategy.
Balagopalan took charge of PUMA India after serving as the brand’s Global Director of Retail and E-commerce, a role that helped strengthen the company’s global direct-to-consumer (D2C) capabilities. He brought that expertise to India, steering one of PUMA’s most dynamic markets during a period of rapidly evolving consumer behaviour and heightened competition in the sportswear and athleisure category.
With nearly two decades of experience inside the company, Balagopalan played a key role in PUMA’s transformation into a digitally strong, youth-focused lifestyle brand beyond athletics. His understanding of the Indian market, paired with a strong command over D2C strategy, made him a natural successor to Abhishek Ganguly — the former PUMA India head who stepped down in 2023 to launch his own entrepreneurial venture. Under Balagopalan’s leadership, PUMA continued to cement its dominance as one of India’s most influential sports lifestyle brands, backed by strong digital acceleration, retail expansion and culturally relevant brand positioning.
His move is being viewed as a personal decision rather than a strategic shift by PUMA, as he relocates to Germany to focus on family commitments. The transition also comes at a time when India remains one of PUMA’s highest-growth markets globally — continuing to attract strong leadership interest from within and beyond the brand.
With succession plans expected to be announced soon, industry insiders are watching closely to see who takes over the reins at a time when PUMA is deeply embedded in India’s consumer culture — driven by fashion, sport, music, and youth communities. Balagopalan leaves behind a strong foundation and a proven strategy built on local insight and global innovation — a legacy that sets the stage for PUMA India’s next growth phase.
