Nike Makes Major Leadership Change

BEAVERTON, OREGON (September 19, 2024) – The Board of Directors of Nike announced that Elliott Hill will become President and Chief Executive Officer of Nike, effective October 14, 2024. Hill will also become a Director of the Nike Board of Directors and a member of the Executive Committee.

Hill will take over as John Donahoe will retire as Nike President and CEO and from the Nike Board of Directors effective October 13. Donahoe and the Board decided he will retire, according to the company’s news release, and he will remain as an advisor to the company through January 31, 2025.

“I am excited to welcome Elliott back to NIKE. Given our needs for the future, the past performance of the business, and after conducting a thoughtful succession process, the Board concluded it was clear Elliott’s global expertise, leadership style, and deep understanding of our industry and partners, paired with his passion for sport, our brands, products, consumers, athletes, and employees, make him the right person to lead Nike’s next stage of growth,” said Mark Parker, Executive Chairman of NIKE, Inc. “Personally, I have worked with Elliott for more than 30 years and I look forward to supporting him and his senior management team as they seize the opportunities ahead.

“I would like to thank John for his contributions to Nike as President and CEO, and as a board member. I would particularly like to recognize the role he played in leading the company during the COVID pandemic and his unwavering support for the investments Nike has made in our communities around the world.”

Throughout the course of his career at Nike, Hill held senior leadership positions across Europe and North America and was responsible for helping grow the business to more than $39 billion. Before retiring in 2020, he was President – Consumer and Marketplace leading all commercial and marketing operations for Nike and Jordan Brand, including the P&L across the company’s four geographies. He retired from Nike in 2020. Hill is a graduate of Texas Christian University (TCU) and Ohio University and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for TCU.

“NIKE has always been a core part of who I am, and I’m ready to help lead it to an even brighter future. For 32 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with the best in the industry, helping to shape our company into the magical place it is today,” said Elliott Hill. “I’m eager to reconnect with the many employees and trusted partners I’ve worked with over the years, and just as excited to build new, impactful relationships that will move us ahead. Together with our talented teams, I look forward to delivering bold, innovative products, that set us apart in the marketplace and captivate consumers for years to come.”

Nike co-founder and Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famer Phil Knight issued a statement that was published in a CNBC story.

“Leadership changes are never easy, they test you, they challenge you, but this transition has been handled with remarkable thoughtfulness and an unwavering commitment to Nike,” said Knight. “Looking forward, I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Elliott back to the team. His experience, understanding of Nike and leadership is exactly what’s needed at this moment. We’ve got a lot of work to do but I’m looking forward to seeing Nike back on its pace.”

Donahoe has been Nike’s CEO since January 2020.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to be part of this incredible company, and I’ll always value my time at Nike and the opportunity to lead the organization. I have great respect for Phil, Mark, Nike and its employees,” said John Donahoe. “It became clear now was the time to make a leadership change, and Elliott is the right person. I look forward to seeing Nike and Elliott’s future successes.”