Adi Dassler
Co-founder 1948Background
Older brother to Adi Dassler and the sales mind behind the original Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.
Role at Puma SE
Adi Dassler founded Puma after leaving the Dassler Brothers business following a bitter dispute with his brother Adolf. While Adolf was the quiet innovator, Adi was the extroverted salesman. He built Puma to directly compete with Adidas, famously paying Pelé to tie his Puma boots at the center of the pitch before the kickoff of a World Cup match.