From Station Sleeper to Billionaire: The Man Who Made Nike and Adidas Sweat
Loading more articles...
From Station Sleeper to Billionaire: Anta Sports Founder Challenges Nike, Adidas
N
News18•27-02-2026, 12:53
From Station Sleeper to Billionaire: Anta Sports Founder Challenges Nike, Adidas
•Ding Shizhong, founder of Anta Sports, rose from poverty to become a billionaire, now the 447th richest person globally with $8.4 billion.
•He started as a shoe salesman at 17, carrying shoe boxes and sleeping at railway stations, before founding Anta in 1991.
•Anta's breakthrough came in 1999 with a risky investment in TV ads and a brand ambassador, making it a household name in China.
•Ding strategically acquired FILA's Chinese operations in 2009, transforming it into a premium fashion-sports brand, and later Amer Sports for $5 billion.
•Anta Sports recently acquired a 29% stake in Puma for 1.5 billion euros, becoming its largest shareholder and directly challenging Western sports giants.
