The Chinese sports brand taking on Nike and Adidas

Ding Shizhong made his way to Beijing with 600 pairs of shoes in the late 1980s. He earned money that paid for his first workshop, where he began making footwear for other companies. In 2005, Ding stated, "We don't want to be the Nike of China, but the Anta of the world."

Ding's business has since grown into a sportswear powerhouse called Anta, which has been building a stable of international brands, including Arc'teryx and Salomon. Anta bought a stake in Puma. Anta has more than 10,000 shops in China and sponsors top athletes like freestyle skier Eileen Gu. In February, Anta opened its first US outlet in Los Angeles' upscale Beverly Hills area.

Founded in 1991, Anta began as a small manufacturer in Jinjiang city in the southeastern province of Fujian. By 2005, Fujian accounted for nearly a fifth of the world's shoes, according to UN estimates.