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Frequently Asked Questions:
General Matters


------------------------ 1. How and when was adidas AG founded?
2. Who is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the company?
3. Where is the adidas Group headquartered?
4. Which and where are the most important locations?
5. When was Reebok acquired?
6. Which brands are part of the adidas Group?
7. How many people does the adidas Group employ?
8. Whom do I contact at the adidas Group regarding donations or charitable contribution?

1. How and when was adidas AG founded?

1920 - At the age of 20, Adi Dassler produced his first 'handmade' training shoes, using borrowed lasts - the beginning of a long and successful story...
18 August 1949 - adidas is registered as a company, named after its founder: 'Adi' from Adolf and 'Das' from Dassler
December 1997 - adidas AG acquires the Salomon Group with the brands Salomon, TaylorMade, Mavic and Bonfire. The new company is named adidas-Salomon AG.
August 2005 - adidas-Salomon AG announces the planned acquisition of Reebok International Ltd.
October 2005 - The Salomon divestiture to the Amer Group is completed. The company's name will change to "adidas AG" in May/June 2006 after the shareholder approval given via the Annual General Meeting.
January 2006 - adidas-Salomon AG and Reebok close the acquisition, providing the new adidas Group with a footprint of around €9.5 billion in the global athletic footwear, apparel and hardware market.
May 2006 - Following the decision of the 2006 Annual General Meeting on May 11, the company name is changed to adidas AG on May 30, 2006. 

For more information on the history, please click here.

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2. Who is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the company?

Since 8 March 2001, Herbert Hainer is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the Executive Board.

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3. Where is the adidas Group headquartered?

The headquarters of the adidas Group is located in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany.

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4. Which and where are the most important locations?

For more information on the locations, please click here.

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5. When was Reebok acquired?

The acquisition of Reebok was announced on August 3, 2005 and closed on January 31, 2006. Please view our News Archive to find out more.

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6. Which brands are part of the adidas Group?

The adidas Group markets its products under the following brand names:
adidas: Footwear, apparel and hardware such as bags and balls
Reebok: Footwear, apparel and hardware
TaylorMade-adidas Golf: Golf Equipment: metalwoods, irons putters, golf balls, footwear, apparel and accessories 

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7. How many people does the adidas Group employ?

At December 31, 2008, the adidas Group employed 38,982 people.

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8. Whom do I contact at the adidas Group regarding donations or charitable contribution?

All requests for corporate donations must be submitted in writing. Check out our locations map for addresses. Attention: We receive many donation requests from deserving organizations and we regret we are unable to respond affirmatively to every need.

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adidas Reebok Taylor made