Anta Taps Amer Sports China Head to Lead Jack Wolfskin Globally

In a decisive move just weeks after acquiring German outdoor label Jack Wolfskin, Anta Group has appointed Yao Jian—the current head of Amer Sports Greater China—as the brand’s new global president.

Yao will oversee all global operations and report directly to Anta Chairman Ding Shizhong. His post at Amer Sports will be filled by Ma Lei, formerly General Manager at Zhongqiao Sports.

The appointment is widely viewed as a strategic milestone in Anta’s restructuring of its multi-brand empire, and underscores the group’s commitment to bolstering its position in the outdoor sector. Yao brings over two decades of experience in sportswear and outdoor, having held senior roles at Nike China and The North Face before steering the rapid rise of Arc’teryx, Salomon, and Wilson in China under the Amer Sports umbrella.

Now, his mandate is clear: steer Jack Wolfskin through a transformation period and turn it into a revitalized force within Anta’s growing outdoor lineup.

Jack Wolfskin enters this new chapter on uncertain footing. Its former parent, Topgolf, projected revenue of €325 million and adjusted EBITDA of €12 million for fiscal 2025—figures that leave plenty of room for reinvention. For Anta, that challenge is also an opportunity.

Positioned as a mass-market outdoor brand, Jack Wolfskin offers something Anta’s current outdoor portfolio lacks: broad accessibility. While Arc’teryx commands the premium space, Jack Wolfskin has the potential to become the group’s high-volume engine—especially at a time when outdoor remains one of China’s few resilient consumer categories.

Despite a shift toward rational consumption in China, the outdoor segment continues to defy the slowdown. Jack Wolfskin’s strong name recognition and robust retail infrastructure—its store count in Asia already surpasses that in Europe—provide a solid foundation for growth. With Yao at the helm, Anta is betting that it can breathe new life into the German label and unlock its next phase of expansion.

In the brand matrix Anta is assembling, Jack Wolfskin is not just a filler—it’s a critical puzzle piece. And Yao Jian is the one entrusted to make it fit.