Li Ning

EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Class of 2024, Hong Kong/Macau
Chairman and CEO of Viva Goods Company Ltd.

Share the joy of Li Ning’s winning moment at Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Hong Kong/Macau.

Li Ning leveraged his eponymous sports brand to build a diverse consumer fashion portfolio.

Li Ning, known as the “Prince of Gymnastics,” is one of the most prominent athletes of the 20th century. The six-time Olympic medalist established the Li-Ning brand in 1990 with the simple goal of providing Chinese athletes with a national brand to wear on the world stage of the Olympics. This modest intention has led to the rise of one of China’s most iconic sports brands. His second venture, Viva Goods, serves as a pivotal platform for Ning and his namesake company to expand their international presence and diversify their consumer brand portfolio.

Since Ning took over in 2010, Viva Goods has a presence across more than 80 countries. The group boasts a comprehensive lineup of apparel and footwear brands alongside Li-Ning, including Bossini, a well-known casual wear brand in Greater China; Clarks, the renowned British footwear brand; and TESTONI, the Italian luxury leatherware brand. The group has demonstrated remarkable revenue growth, with a substantial year-on-year increase of nearly 400% in 2022.

Ning’s vision is to leverage the power of each brand to help people pursue an elegant and enjoyable lifestyle of health and leisure. He has undertaken significant initiatives to transform and elevate the group’s brands, including optimizing the Clarks retail channel and enhancing back-office efficiency. In addition, the rebranding of Bossini has been promoted through an official sponsorship with the China National Cycling Team.