(Invest in China) Adidas CEO: The Chinese market is full of energy

China News Service, Shanghai, October 11 (Gao Zhimiao, Kang Yuzhan) "As a global company, when we come to China, we feel that there is a lot of energy in the market." Adidas Group Global CEO Bjoern Gulden (Bjoern Gulden) said in an interview with the media at the 38th Shanghai Mayors International Entrepreneurs Advisory Meeting on the 11th that Adidas is "very optimistic" about the Chinese market, especially the Shanghai sports and sports fashion market, and will continue to invest in Chinese sports, retail networks and local innovation.

Bjorn Goulden said that Adidas has achieved high-quality growth in China for 13 consecutive quarters. Although there are voices from the outside that there are challenges in the market, the company has seen market growth, store expansion, and an increase in the popularity of sports such as running, outdoor, hip-hop, and tennis. The company is encouraged by the vitality of China's young people and the energy of the Chinese market.

"China is not only a manufacturing base, but also a source of creativity." Bjorn Goulden said that Adidas has about 160 designers in Shanghai, and the local team can independently select and carry out design and development. In the past five years, Chinese cultural and clothing creativity has continued to emerge, and local design, development, and production can shorten transportation time and speed up response. Social media has allowed Chinese creativity to reach Europe and the United States faster, and some products created in China have become global hits. The global company is no longer a pyramid structure dominated by headquarters, but a matrix of interconnected creative people.

Bjorn Goulden said that Adidas will increase its investment in Chinese sports and connect relevant local events, teams and federations; continue to expand physical stores and digital channels, and stay ahead in innovation and design. He emphasized that local ideas are driven by local teams. "It is not Germany telling the Chinese team what to do, but the other way around." Chinese creativity and talents are also feeding back to the European and American markets.

Bjorn Goulden believes that Shanghai, as an international hub with outstanding talent, universities and consumer vitality, is an important node for Adidas' global layout. In the future, consumer data will be combined with technologies such as artificial intelligence and applied to manufacturing, new materials and other fields. New working methods are expected to be quickly formed in China and exported to the world.