How innovative sportswear brand ASICS is investing in frontline talent

In December last year, ASICS signed 16-Year-Old sprinter Candace Hill to an exclusive 10-year contract with the shoe and apparel brand, making her the youngest American sprinter to go professional.

ASICS has carved a niche for themselves in the sports shoe market as somewhat of an innovator. But sponsoring young athletes is just one way that the brand is looking to the future. Their growth targets for 2015 – publicly available on their company website - were seriously ambitious. And whilst their results are yet to be published, it seems likely that yet again as we enter 2016, they will be ahead of their game.

High growth, innovative brands like ASICS know that empowering frontline managers in the business is key. They aim to inspire and challenge these key individuals to make the changes needed to constantly reinvent the business. It is this investment in human capital that leads to innovative managers across the business taking risks  - such as sponsoring ever younger athletes - and pushing forward with exciting new ranges, designs and footwear technologies.