Virat Kohli set to join athleisure firm Agilitas as investor after conclusion of Puma's 110 Cr deal

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is set to partner with homegrown sportswear and athleisure firm Agilitas as an investor and brand ambassador, as he ends his eight-year-long association with German brand Puma.

An official announcement about the deal is expected during the ongoing IPL 2025 season, where Kohli is currently playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The IPL concludes on May 25, and the news is likely to be made public before or around that date.

The 36-year-old's partnership with Puma, worth approximately INR 110 crore, began in 2017 and became one of the most high-profile athlete-brand deals in India. A spokesperson from Puma confirmed the end of the association.

“PUMA wishes Virat the best for his future endeavours and said it was a wonderful association with him spanning over several years, many outstanding campaigns, and path-breaking product collaborations. Puma went back to Kohli with an offer to retain the cricketer, but he wants to build a global company from India. As a sports brand, Puma will continue to actively invest in the next generation of athletes and aggressively build the future of the sporting ecosystem in India,” the company said as quoted by CNBC-TV18.

The brand will be a significant part of Agilitas’s growth story: Source

The batting maestro's new partnership with Agilitas, founded in 2023 by former Puma India and South-East Asia MD Abhishek Ganguly, is a shift in his brand strategy. He is expected to acquire an equity stake in the company and endorse its products as part of a long-term collaboration. The company had earlier raised INR 100 crore from Nexus Venture Partners and also secured licensing rights for the Italian brand Lotto in India, South Africa, and Australia.

According to reports, Kohli’s decision to join hands with Agilitas is his goal to scale his own brand, One8. Agilitas will be responsible for expanding and distributing One8’s footprint, both in India and internationally. 

“The brand will be a significant part of Agilitas’s growth story. It's all about turning One8 into a global brand—footwear, sportswear. India does not have an aspirational sportswear brand. There will be a new brand identity and relaunch for One8,” a person close to the development told Mint.

Kohli made headlines recently by removing all brand-related promotional content from his Instagram grid, moving those posts to the reels section, the reason being as part of a digital rebranding strategy ahead of the Agilitas announcement.