Nike Appoints New Regional Leadership for EMEA, Greater China and APLA

Nike is reshaping its regional leadership structure across EMEA, Greater China, and APLA, with new VP/GM appointments designed to support its ‘Win Now’ and ‘Sport Offense’ agenda. The shifts see long serving leaders retire or switch roles, while veterans with longstanding regional and marketplace experience step in at a time when Nike is under pressure to reignite growth in key markets.

New Leads in Three Regions

In EMEA, Carl Grebert will retire after nearly 30 years at Nike, having held leadership roles across global, country, and regional teams. He will be succeeded by César Garcia, who becomes VP/GM of EMEA on February 2, 2026.

Garcia joined Nike almost 25 years ago as an EKIN in Spain and has since worked across Asia Pacific & Latin America, Global Running, and Western Europe, building a reputation for connecting product, sport, and marketplace in one system. The company frames him as a ‘builder’ who sets clear standards, develops strong teams, and brings clarity in complex situations.

Greater China Shift

In Greater China, Angela Dong will leave her role and the company, with her transition effective March 31, 2026. Dong joined Nike in 2005 and has led the region through key moments including Beijing 2008, rapid digital growth, and post pandemic recovery.

Cathy Sparks, a 25 year Nike veteran and most recently VP/GM of APLA, will become VP/GM of Greater China. Nike describes Greater China as being at a ‘critical moment’ that requires a leader who can rebuild momentum, earn trust, and reconnect sport and culture to the marketplace, positioning Sparks’ move squarely inside its current turnaround priorities.

Interim Leadership in APLA

With Sparks moving to Greater China, Cristin ‘Crissy’ Campbell will serve as interim VP/GM of APLA and join Nike’s Senior Leadership Team. Campbell has spent more than 15 years at Nike, including eight years in APLA across roles that span Jordan and Women’s, and currently leads Nike Brand and Sport Offense in the region.

Nike positions Campbell as the leader to ensure continuity and stability in APLA while it searches for a permanent appointment. The company links these regional moves directly to its push to ‘move faster’ and bring leadership closer to athletes and marketplaces around the world.

Looking Ahead

The changes arrive as Nike faces a more competitive and slower growth environment in sneakers and sportswear, especially in China and parts of EMEA, where regaining momentum and local relevance has become a priority. Aligning seasoned operators like Garcia and Sparks with these regions shows Nike leaning on internal experience rather than external hires to navigate inventory resets, consumer shifts, and new marketplace dynamics.

For retailers, investors, and partners in these regions, the appointments signal who will be steering pricing, assortment, and distribution choices on the ground over the next phase of Nike’s strategy. For employees, they also highlight how regional VP/GM roles are being positioned closer to the center of decision making as Nike tries to translate global brand plans into local results more quickly.