A Timeline of Nike’s 5 CEOs That Have Held the Role Since 1972
Nike is one of rare public companies that has managed to broadly limit turnover in its top role. Since its official founding in 1972, Nike has only had five chief executive officers. Nike co-founder Phil Knight served as the first CEO in 1972 until he passed these responsibilities to his first successor in 2004. And fast-forward to October, Elliott Hill became Nike’s newest CEO.
From Knight to Hill, here is a timeline of all of the leaders who once served as Nike’s CEO.
Phil Knight
Nike co-founder Phil Knight served as the company’s first CEO in 1972 until he passed these responsibilities to his first successor, Perez, in 2004.
Knight served as Nike’s president from 1968 to 1990, and from June 2000 to 2004, with the exception of the period from June 1983 through September 1984. Knight continued to serve as chairman until 2016.
William D. Perez.
In 2004, Perez became the first industry and company outsider to lead Nike after founder and board chairman Phil Knight handed over those responsibilities. He came to Nike after serving in leadership roles at S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. However, he only lasted 13 months on the job before Nike and Knight replaced him with Parker.
Nike said at the time that Perez’s departure was due to “differences regarding leadership” between Perez and Knight. The Nike co-founder reportedly told analysts at the time that Perez failed to make a smooth transition from the packaged goods business to athletic shoes and apparel.
Mark Parker (2006 – 2020)
Nike named Mark Parker, formerly Nike brand co-president, as president and CEO in January 2006 following the resignation of William D. Perez. Parker first joined Nike in 1979 and served in various leadership roles across product design, development, marketing and brand management. He was one of the key product leaders behind Nike’s popular Air franchise.
In his last few years on the job, Nike faced a series of issues regarding its internal culture and its treatment of female employees and athletes, as well as minority team members. In 2018, Nike faced internal upheaval with the highly publicized departure of brand president Trevor Edwards, who was reportedly next in line to succeed Parker. That news preceded several unexpected and high-profile exits as well as multiple reports describing allegations of harassment, a toxic workplace environment (for women) and a quiet, female-led revolt.
Parker also took some heat for his connection to Nike Oregon Project head coach Alberto Salazar, who was handed a four-year ban by the U.S. Anti-Doping Association. The sportswear giant eventually announced it would “wind down” the program.
John Donahoe (2020 – 2024)
Prior to Hill’s 2024 arrival, John Donahoe served as Nike’s fourth CEO. The then-president and CEO of ServiceNow Inc. and chairman of PayPal Holdings, Donahoe joined Nike in 2020 as the company was doubling down on its digital and direct sales. Donahoe, a shoe industry outsider, also served as president and CEO of eBay Inc. between 2008 through 2015.
In its official statement, Nike called out Donohoe’s “expertise in digital commerce, technology, global strategy and leadership” as reasons behind his appointment, to support the firm’s digital transformation. At the time, Nike was leaning into its Consumer Direct Offense plan, first announced in 2017. Under Donahoe’s watch, Nike cut back on several wholesale relationships in favor of direct channels, a move that would ultimately be reversed by Elliott Hill.
Elliott Hill
Hill, a company veteran of 32 years, joined Nike in 1988 as an apparel sales representative intern. He held several leadership positions over 32 years before retiring from Nike Inc. in 2020 from his role as president of consumer and marketplace.
In October, Hill rejoined Nike as its fifth CEO, a move that was met with with praise from employees and analysts.