Celine Del Genes

Reebok Asia Pacific / Head of Marketing

Celine Del Genes has only been in her role at Reebok Asia Pacific for a year,  but in this short period, she has revolutionized Reebok's brand perception and its marketing model in the midst of a more-than-challenging economic climate.  In addition to redirecting her team toward marketing excellence, her contributions have led to growth in Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, while maintaining Reebok's strong position in India as the market leader.  Despite limited resources, she has driven the Reebok brand to a new level of awareness in the region.
 
In a recent interview, she touched upon Asia's sports market changing since Beijing Olympics to allow consumers be closer to sports.   To Del Genes, this means enabling brands to communicate with customers in a way that was never done before.  She has been proving her point with a number of successful programs targeting women across various Asian markets.
 
She has capitalized on the Reebok's unique partnership with Cirque du Soleil, JUKARI Fit to Fly fitness program, across key Asian cities to introduce fun in working out. Del Genes says a key part of her marketing leadership role is to best represent Asia Pacific markets in Reebok's global conversations in order to empower local markets to succeed.
 
In 2009, Reebok launched EasyTone, a footwear technology that uses the concept of balance pods to better tone women's glute muscles and legs.  Del Genes placed her bets on Japan as the top market for the product, and her risk paid off.  Despite many spending cut-backs among female consumers during the economic crisis, Japanese women proved they would still invest on shoes that could help them look fitter.
 
Celine Del Genes started her career in communications at adidas AG's (the mother company of Reebok International Ltd.) German headquarters a decade ago.  She then moved to Hong Kong in 2005 following a promotion as Brand Marketing Director for adidas Asia Pacific, where she played a significant role in the award-winning adidas Beijing Olympics campaign.
 

A French native, Celine Del Genes says she thinks more Asian than European now in business conversations.  "It is a rite of passage!  It's from having experienced highly emotional events, from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics and experiencing the power of this nation, to my first visit to the magnificent Taj Mahal" Despite thinking international, this marketing guru also stays close to her roots, "Part of my Asia Pacific experience also included watching France play the All Blacks in New Zealand, and I sulked when they lost, but perhaps it proves that I may still be French at heart!"

Contact: Celine.delgenes@reebok.com