Since his first visit to China in 1998, and after traveling to the country many times in the following years, Bentheimer says: "I could see and experience first-hand the fast development and progress the country has made. It is incredible to see how the Chinese consumer market has evolved in only a few years, and what potential this market still bears for brands and those companies which are able to meet the needs and desires of Chinese consumers."

In the first half of 2008, adidas Group sales in China increased over 60 percent on a currency-neutral basis.

Just one day before the opening of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games this August, adidas announced that in terms of market share, it was the leading sports brand in China for the first time, where nearly 50 percent of all its products are being produced.

"The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games served as a platform for us to reach market leadership with brand adidas in the Chinese market. Our design and development center in Shanghai will keep creating products that inspire consumers around Asia and other parts of the world. We clearly expect our success story in China to continue," says Bentheimer.

"The adidas Group has excelled in the first half of 2008, achieving double-digit top- and bottom-line growth. Our business in China was a big contributor to this growth," says Herbert Hainer, CEO and chairman of adidas AG.

Adidas' role as the official sportswear partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the expansion of distribution for adidas and Reebok, as well as the development of TaylorMade-adidas Golf have been the primary growth drivers for the company in China.

"We are well on track to reach our sales target of more than 1 billion euros for the adidas Group in China by 2010," says Hainer.