Sephora names Xia Ding as managing director of Greater China

Beauty retailer Sephora has appointed Xia Ding as the managing director of Greater China. Based in Shanghai, Ding will directly report to Asia president, Alia Gogi.

Prior to Sephora, she spent five years as vice president & general manager of e-commerce Asia Pacific and Latin America at Nike.

Commenting on Ding’s appointment, Gogi said in a statement: "Xia Ding is a quintessential leader with a wealth of experience in running businesses, digital transformations, and strategic business development. I am confident that her skills set, knowledge of brick & mortar retail, expertise in digital and e-commerce, as well as her proven track record in building and sustaining profitable business will take Sephora Greater China into its next phase of growth and success."

During her two decades of tenure at HanesBrands, the company said, Ding was involved in corporate strategy and led its expansion into China. In 2015, she was appointed the vice president of retail service at Nielsen in China, a global information and measurement company.

Ding subsequently joined JD.com as the president of JD Fashion where she was responsible for driving the fashion business covering apparel, shoes, sportswear, bags, and jewellery.

"I am thrilled to join Sephora at a time where the prestige beauty market in China is at the cusp of its next phase of growth. Sephora's allure lies in its powerful curation capabilities, strong culture anchored in purpose and DE&I, and an incredible ability to offer beauty enthusiasts an ever-evolving retail experience," added Ding.

Sephora is the global beauty omni-retailer with approximately 3,000 points of sale across 35 markets. The company launched two "stores of the future" in Shanghai and Wuhan last year.