Exceptional stamina and passion were two words that jumped out of the job description for a Key City Manager in my native Paris. Top athletes have them in abundance and I felt I also had plenty of determination and heart to drive the adidas brand in the French capital and live fast in Paris.
18 months later and I live, eat and sleep this city: its sport, its fashion, its music, its culture, our business.
Why? Well, it’s the only way to truly connect with the city, understand our customers’ needs and deliver the right products and experiences… and it is fun!
I’m not advocating that everyone become workaholics, but through my city immersion approach I’ve managed to bring my work life into my social and sports life and vice versa, with great results both professionally and privately.
My sport is football – I watch it, study it, promote it and, most importantly, play it. A post-work match with Le Five in our Tango League ticks a number of boxes for me – I meet my friends, I keep fit, I see what performance wear is working on the pitch, what players like and why, and the sports high gets me thinking about creative solutions to problems off the field, too.
Downtime at weekends or in the evening are spent in popular areas such as Belleville, Canal Saint-Martin and Pigalle .
Paris’ cafe culture is set up for people watching and that’s how I relax while also taking in the new trends on the street. Our consumers are all around us, so taking the time to observe and let trends sink in while enjoying a coffee is well worth it.
In a city like Paris, business meetings don’t have to be boring. A change of venue with colleagues brings great discussions that sometimes don’t find a voice in our normal meeting room.
So if you live in a big city, I’d say embrace the speed, the creativity and the vibrancy that it can bring to your professional life.
Run paris playlist
Don’t miss a workout on your travels. We’ve compiled a running playlist full of French electro goodies to accompany you on the tracks and trails.
Check It Out
Are there people in our key cities, like Romain, who can influence what goes into stores due to the observations that they have made?
thanks for your question!
I've forwarded it to my colleagues and we will come back with an answer soon.
Best,
Nina
thanks for your question.
The answer is yes! With our Creating the New strategy and the Key Cities initiative, we are much more focused, not to say obsessed, with consumers, and relentless in tailoring solutions to their needs. That means we are all listening to their needs to make sure we have the right product in the right store, always.
If you have more specific questions on that topic, please reach out directly via email (gameplan-a@adidas-group.com) and we're happy to help.
Best,
Nina