Colin Currie promoted to senior VP for sales and marketing for adidas China

The promotion is effective from 1 January. Currie will be based in adidas' Shanghai office and will be responsible for all front-end sales and marketing business for the brand in China. Paul Pi, VP of marketing, Phillipe Bocquillon, VP of sales will report to Currie. currie will report to Christophe Bezu, president of adidas Greater China who also started in January 2010.

Currie joined adidas in January 2005 as MD for Hong Kong. In 2008 he was promoted to MD for Hong Kong and Taiwan. Currie will continue to take care the Hong Kong and Taiwan market until a replacement is made in the second quarter of this year.

Currie said: “The economic crisis hit throughout the world in 2009 and affected the sports industry globally. My assignment coming to China is to rebuild and to lay down the strong strategic direction for adidas in China for the next three to five years. We are not looking at a big change, but more at reviewing our strategies  and evolving them to ensure we maintain our leadership position in the coming years."

“We know China will transform into a consumer economy in the coming years. My role is to lead the sales and marketing team to ensure we maintain and defend our leading position in China, and capture the future growth opportunity that China presents," he added.

The apparel and footwear market in both sports and causal wear is becoming increasingly competitive in China. Competition not only includes the likes of Nike, but the mainland has seen the growth of Chinese brands like Li Ning, Kappa and Anta. Casual-wear brands including Zara, H&M and Uniqlo have also entered the China market in past three years.

Following a restructure of adidas' Hong Kong office in summer 2008, Adrian Siu was promoted from commercial director for wholesale and retail to GM of adidas Hong Kong.