Jason Kra, Ph.D

President

Li & Fung

About the Speaker

Jason Kra, Ph.D., is President at Li & Fung, where he leads factory-direct, wholesale, licensing, owned-brand, and distribution-import businesses serving retailers across North, Central, and South America. With more than three decades of experience in global apparel sourcing, logistics, and distribution, he oversees large, multi-country supply networks spanning Asia, Africa, and the Americas and is a member of Li & Fung’s senior leadership councils. Prior to joining Li & Fung, Dr. Kra founded and built Foreign Resources Corporation (FRC) into a leading apparel design and sourcing company with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, focused on factory-direct production for major North American retailers. FRC’s 2012 acquisition by Li & Fung created one of the group’s most successful trading platforms, recognized for sustained growth and a diversified country portfolio. Dr. Kra holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from American University’s Kogod School of Business, a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a specialization in supply chain management from Florida Atlantic University, and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. His doctoral research focuses on investment and country-selection decisions in apparel supply chains, examining risk, resilience, and performance across multi-country sourcing strategies. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Dr. Kra serves as an adjunct professor of supply chain management at American University and Florida Atlantic University, where he teaches graduate-level courses in supply chain, logistics, and strategic operations. He is an active contributor to executive education and has been invited to speak and teach at institutions such as MIT Sloan, as well as at major industry forums including NRF Retail’s Big Show, Sourcing Journal’s Global Outlook, and ISM World, addressing topics such as nearshoring, digital product creation, decarbonization, and supply chain transformation. Dr. Kra also serves on boards and advisory councils, including the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) board and the Kogod School of Business Advisory Council, helping to bridge practice, policy, and scholarship in global trade and supply chain management. He is a long-time licensed pilot with advanced ratings, and he often draws on aviation principles of risk management and systems thinking to inform his leadership approach in complex global operations.

Matchmaking Information

Attending

The Quest for Newness: Products, Brands, and the Pressure to Evolve
Textile Talks

The Quest for Newness: Products, Brands, and the Pressure to Evolve

Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | America/New_York
Main Hall | Textile Talks

Speaker's Sessions (1)

Session
Textile Talks
The Quest for Newness: Products, Brands, and the Pressure to Evolve
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | America/New_York
Textile Talks
Main Hall | Textile Talks
English

The Quest for Newness: Products, Brands, and the Pressure to Evolve

In an industry defined by constant change, the pressure to deliver newness has never been greater but the real story often happens behind the scenes. This session explores how leading brands are balancing innovation with consistency, what “newness” actually means to today’s consumer, and how companies can continuously evolve without losing their identity.  At the same time, it dives into the critical role of the supply chain, how sourcing teams, product development functions, and strategic partners are becoming key drivers of innovation and speed to market. Jason Kra of Li & Fung joins Edward Hertzman of HGI to unpack how brands can better leverage their sourcing ecosystems to unlock new ideas, accelerate timelines, and bring fresher products to market faster, turning backend operations into a true competitive advantage.
Speakers (2)
Edward Hertzman
CEO, Hertzman Global Intelligence Athletech News
Jason Kra, Ph.D
President, Li & Fung
Starts in
1 week
0 days
21hours
51 minutes