On October 11, American sports giant Nike announced the appointment of Angela Dong as the new Chairwoman and CEO of Greater China, as well as the Global CEO of its outdoor sub-brand, All Conditions Gear (ACG).
In her new role, Angela Dong will lead the global ACG business in product development, branding, and sales, accelerating the brand’s growth in both global and Chinese markets. She will also continue to oversee Nike’s Greater China operations, driving new growth and reinforcing Nike’s long-term commitment to the Chinese sports market.
Angela Dong joined Nike China in 2005 and has served as Nike’s Global Vice President and General Manager of Greater China over the past decade, where she played a key role in shaping growth strategies and driving sustained growth in the region. Her new appointment represents a further expansion of her leadership responsibilities.
Recently, Angela Dong was named one of the “Most Powerful Women in Business in Asia” by Fortune in 2024. Since 2016, she has been consistently featured in Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business in China” list and has been recognized four times as one of the “50 Most Influential Business Leaders in China.”
This leadership change aligns with Nike’s localized strategy under its new global CEO. In September, Nike announced that its Board of Directors had brought back retired executive Elliott Hill as President and CEO, succeeding John Donahoe, who stepped down on October 13. During a recent analysts’ meeting, Nike’s CFO Matthew Friend emphasized the strong demand for classic products in China while highlighting the company’s focus on innovative new products and high-performance items. He noted that the proportion of innovative products is higher in China compared to other regions, a point reflected in Nike’s latest strategic adjustments for the Greater China market. The company’s press release stated that as it continues to drive global growth and innovation, it is making a significant strategic shift to further develop its global sub-brand ACG, aiming to better serve outdoor athletes and enthusiasts. With the growing interest in healthy lifestyles and outdoor activities, the expansion of outdoor product offerings is highly anticipated. The ACG brand, which has a rich history, will broaden its product range to encompass various outdoor activities.
Nike’s ACG line was launched in 1989 and focuses on footwear and apparel designed for outdoor activities. ACG stands for All Conditions Gear, and its predecessor was the Nike Hiking line introduced in the early 1980s.
However, due to slowed innovation and untimely retail strategies, Nike’s sales have been sluggish for several months. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, which ended on August 31, key financial figures showed a 10% year-over-year decline in sales to $11.59 billion, slightly below analysts’ expectations of $11.65 billion. Gross margin increased by 1.2 percentage points to 45.4%, exceeding expectations, but net income dropped 28% year-over-year to $1.05 billion.
| Source: Official Press Release, Luxe.CO historical reports
| Image Credit: Official Press Release, Brand Website
| Editor: LeZhi
