SPORTSWEAR giant Nike said on Tuesday it had appointed new leaders for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Greater China as well as Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions, as it works to rebuild momentum in key international markets.
The changes reshape Nike’s regional leadership at a time when the company is working to revive growth, sharpen its products and rebuild momentum in key markets such as China, where demand has been uneven.
The company said César Garcia will become vice president and general manager for EMEA, effective Feb. 2. He will succeed Carl Grebert, who is retiring after nearly 30 years at the company.
In Greater China, Nike said longtime executive Angela Dong will leave the company, effective March 31. She will be succeeded by Cathy Sparks, a 25-year Nike veteran.
In December, Nike reported a drop in gross margins for the second consecutive quarter, as poor sales in China and efforts to reset its product mix sent shares down 10 percent.
Sales in China fell for the sixth straight quarter, tumbling 17 percent, and while the company has insisted recovery would be slower there than in North America, signs of impatience are growing and is threatened by the rise of hipper brands like On and Hoka.
Nike is now facing the challenge of trying to regain its cultural cachet.
