Businessman Elliott Hill is set to step into the CEO role at Nike next month, and his appointment is a business shake-up 32 years in the making.
On Wednesday (September 19), the Board of Directors at Nike announced that Hill would succeed John Donahoe as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Upon his appointment, the veteran described how privileged he’d been to work for Nike since he first began his career as an intern in 1988.
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“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,” he revealed.
“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.”
From intern to Vice President of USA Commerce (1988 - 2005)
Following Nike’s announcement that Hill would be stepping into the CEO role, entrepreneur and investor Joe Pompliano took to social media to congratulate him.
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He shared a screenshot of Hill’s LinkedIn profile showing all of his past job titles at the company and wrote: “Nike’s new CEO may have the best LinkedIn profile ever — 32 years with the same company, from intern to CEO!”
Before graduating with a Master’s degree from Ohio University in 1988, it’s understood Hill worked as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Dallas Cowboys before taking up an internship with Nike.
According to the Indian Express, he took up a role as an apparel sales representative for two years after being persuaded by a company representative who spoke to his sports marketing class.
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Following his internship, Hill went on to claim roles working in Sports Graphics and Team Sales before being promoted to Sales Representative and later to Sales Management.
Between the years of 1998 and 2000, he held down the position of Team Sports Division Director before becoming the Vice President of EMEA Sales and Retail.
After three years the father-of-two achieved the role of USA Retail’s Vice President and General Manager before working as the Vice President in USA Commerce for a year.
Vice President of Global Retail to his Nike departure (2006 - 2010)
With 17 years of experience under his belt, Hill was given the position of Vice President in the Global Retail devision, which he held down for four years.
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In 2010, he took up the role of Vice President and General Manager in North America before becoming the President of Geographies & Sales in 2013.
After three years in the role, Hill was promoted again, this time to President of Geographies and Integrated Marketplace.
In 2018, he won the role of President of Consumer and Marketplace, which he held down until his departure from the company in 2020.
Return of the Hill (October 2024)
According to Hill’s LinkedIn profile, after leaving Nike he went on to become a Board Member of multiple companies.
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These include Weber-Stephen Products LLC, Tecovas and Culligan International.
As of October 14, Hill will become CEO of Nike and will join the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.
Outside of his 32-year commitment to the company, NDTV reports that the Texas Christian University graduate has a ‘passion for sports’ and enjoys running, hiking and cycling.
He currently lives with his wife Gina and their two children Peyton and Austin.