Christine Jeon '12 has been promoted to serve as the APLA (Asian Pacific and Latin America) Jordan Marketplace Partners Director at Nike, marking a significant step in her 12-year journey with the company. Jeon’s connection to Nike started early, fueled by a memorable experience when she was just 14.
"The dream began even before college," Jeon said. "When I was 14, I attended a basketball camp held on Nike’s campus at their headquarters. With basketball being synonymous with Nike at the time, I was mesmerized by everything. I remember thinking, 'I want to work here one day,' having no idea how that would happen at the time."
At Rice University, Jeon majored in Statistics with specialized courses in Sport Management which laid the foundation for her career. After graduating, Jeon began at Nike’s office in Katy, TX, as a Sales Team Analyst. This role allowed her to use her background in data visualization and analysis while working closely with the sales team who were focused on Nike's account with mega-retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors, also headquartered in Katy, TX.
"I was a Statistics major at Rice, so much of my time was spent on data visualization and storytelling through data,” Jeon said. “The sales team was responsible for managing relationships with retailers and raising revenue."
Jeon quickly found that she was well-aligned with the sales team’s mission, which fueled her interest in account management and relationship-building.
"I was so aligned with the sales team, and that’s how I wanted to grow my career - through account management and building relationships,” Jeon said. “It was a very direct way to connect with consumers and learn about their behaviors, which I could see reflected in the numbers. There was also a competitive spirit within the job because we were always striving to raise revenue and constantly outperform our competitors."
Her work ethic and success in this role led to new opportunities within Nike. Jeon spent six years in Europe, working out of Nike’s Amsterdam office, where she oversaw sales for the entire Jordan men’s department across Europe. One of her most memorable projects involved launching a line of Jordan women’s apparel and the partnership with Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
"I had always wanted to work abroad,” Jeon said. “I grew up internationally my whole life, so I was kind of lucky to have had that opportunity. I really valued it, getting exposed to different cultures, ways of communicating, and work styles.”
Despite her success, Jeon eventually decided to return to the U.S., seeking to continue her work with diverse teams.
"Having worked in Europe, where it's so diverse, I wanted to continue working in a similarly diverse team,” Jeon said. “So, I asked to join the APLA team in Portland, Oregon, to keep working with diverse regions, teams, and consumers once I returned to the U.S."
Jeon’s transition to her current role as APLA Jordan Marketplace Partners Director is the culmination of years of hard work and strategic career moves. Today, she leads a team of eight and is responsible for overseeing the wholesale business for Jordan in the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions, managing significant revenue across these markets.
“Your time in college and shortly after is when you should be trying things like studying abroad and exploring different industries,” Jeon said. “Once you get older and have a few things in your personal life in order, it’s harder to start fresh, and it can be scary. Take advantage of your youth and the many opportunities available to you."
Throughout her career at Nike, Jeon has taken on various roles, including serving as Chief of Staff to the Vice President of Planning. This position provided her with a unique perspective on leadership and the inner workings of Nike’s senior leadership.
"I primarily took that pivot because it was a step up and a great role to do if I wanted to pursue a higher role at Nike because it lets you see behind the curtain of what senior leadership at Nike go through.” Jeon said. “It’s so different because I went from spending so much of my time working externally on sales and chasing revenue to so much internal management. It’s probably one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever done, but one of the most rewarding. Getting to see what a VP at Nike goes through was very eye-opening, and the integral role and impact they have on our team’s culture.”
Jeon’s career has been marked by continuous growth and learning, as she continues to lead and innovate within Nike.
"Don’t hesitate to try new things," Jeon said. "Try more things, I would say to myself. Especially while you’re young."
Sergio Rojas, a junior from Houston, Texas, is double-majoring in Business with a concentration in Finance and also Sport Management with a concentration in Leadership.