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James Grigsby

Strategy & Transformation | Channel Optimization | Business Development | China & Asia-Pacific

James Grigsby is the Vice President of Cities and Marketplace Transformation for China and the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region at adidas. He is based in Shanghai and has a significant background in retail and marketplace strategy. His previous roles at adidas include Key City General Manager in Shanghai and Senior Director of Retail Expansion Strategy.13

Grigsby has a strong educational foundation, having studied at the University of California, San Diego. His career at adidas has been marked by efforts to enhance the brand's presence in key cities like Shanghai and Beijing, transforming them into global hubs for the company.12

His professional journey reflects a commitment to innovation in retail strategies, focusing on adapting to the dynamic marketplace in APAC.3

Highlights

Feb 2 · linkedin

As Rabbit prepares to take a bow, and Dragon readies to take the stage, I am announcing my departure from adidas China after nearly 9 awesome years at an awesome brand. I was hired in 2015 to build the strategic planning function for the brand’s rapidly expanding store network in China – a 2 billion euro channel with more than 8,000 stores. Soon after, I was given the additional opportunity to develop and manage adidas’ Key City initiative, first in China and later in the wider Asia Pacific market. It’s been an amazing run, punctuated by head-spinning events, including rapid growth in the late 2010s, the challenges of Covid and lockdown, and eventually a period of stabilization and re-growth. Through it all, I had the honor to work with amazing leadership teams, headed in turn by Colin Currie, Jason Thomas, and Adrian Siu. They each led with creativity, empathy, and impressive grace under pressure. Equally important, were the teams I worked with on a daily basis – marketplace strategy and planning, key cities, account sales, retail operations and more. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to my dear colleagues in Greater China, Asia Pacific, and global HQ in Germany. It was an honor and a pleasure to work with all you!

As for next steps, I have returned home to the US West Coast after 2+ decades in Asia. It’s time to reengage with family, reflect, and plan next steps. Happy Year of the Dragon!

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Location

Portland, Oregon, United States