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The global communications manager will leave the company next month.

The circumstances of his departure are not clear and it is not known whether he has a job to go to.

His departure follows Adidas' overhaul of its marketing business, which began at the start of the year.

In a bid to strengthen its US marketing operations, Adidas has promoted top marketer Erich Stamminger to president and chief executive of its US arm. He continues to have responsibility for all European marketing.

In addition, Villota's boss, Karen Feldpausch-Sturm, has taken the new role of head of retail. She previously shared marketing responsibilities with Ulrich Becker, who will now take sole control of marketing as head of global brand communications.

It is thought that Villota will not be replaced and responsibility for new media, including Adidas' digital roster, will be handed to global media head Richard Prenderville.

Villota is the latest in a series of departure from Adidas. In October global media chief Jason Dawes left two months after the resignation of international advertising head Nicholas Baddour.

Separately, the company has launched a global inter-active push through digital agency Groovy Train as part of its 'Impossible is nothing' campaign.

The digital work includes a web site that will contain exclusive footage of some of the stars of the TV campaign, including Muhammad Ali, footballer Zinedine Zidane and sprinter Maurice Green.

The web site showcases interviews with the athletes, paying homage to the obstacles they overcame to reach the top of their sport. It will run in 15 languages, with 22 versions catering for different regions.

A competition will encourage teenagers to share their own stories of achievement. Site visitors can rate the stories, and the national winners will go forward to a global competition.

Amsterdam agency 180 was behind the TV campaign, while print work was handled by TBWA\Chiat\Day.