John Donahoe

John Donahoe
Born	John Joseph Donahoe II 30 4, 1960
Birthplace	Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive, athletic director
Title	Jaquish & Kenninger Director and Chair of Athletics, Stanford University
Known for	CEO of Nike (2020–2024), CEO of eBay (2008–2015), CEO of ServiceNow (2017–2019), Athletic Director of Stanford University
Education	Stanford University (MBA)
Awards	Irish America Hall of Fame inductee

John Joseph Donahoe II (born April 30, 1960) is an American business executive and the current athletic director of Stanford University. Over a career spanning four decades, Donahoe has led some of the most prominent companies in American business, serving as president and CEO of the global management consulting firm Bain & Company, as CEO of eBay during a period of significant transformation in e-commerce, as CEO of the cloud computing company ServiceNow, and as CEO of Nike, Inc. from January 2020 to October 2024. Born and raised in Evanston, Illinois, Donahoe earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In July 2025, Stanford University President Jon Levin appointed him as the school's Jaquish & Kenninger Director and Chair of Athletics, a role he assumed on September 8, 2025. Throughout his career, Donahoe has also served on numerous boards, including as chairman of PayPal and as a member of the board of directors of The Bridgespan Group.

Early Life

John Joseph Donahoe II was born on April 30, 1960, in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. He grew up in an Irish-American family, a heritage that would later be recognized when he was inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame.

Donahoe has spoken publicly about formative early work experiences. In a piece he authored, he described his first job as involving unloading beer, an experience that he said taught him foundational lessons about leadership, including the value of hard work and treating all colleagues with respect regardless of their position. This early emphasis on practical experience and grounded leadership would become recurring themes throughout Donahoe's business career.

Education

Donahoe attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later served on the Dartmouth College Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2012, reflecting his continued connection to the institution.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Donahoe pursued graduate education at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA). His Stanford MBA would prove instrumental in shaping his career trajectory, and decades later, his connection to the university would come full circle when he was named Stanford's athletic director in 2025.

Career

Bain & Company

Following his MBA, Donahoe began his career at Bain & Company, the global management consulting firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Over the course of nearly two decades at Bain, he rose through the firm's ranks. In 1999, he was named president and CEO of Bain & Company, a position that placed him at the helm of one of the world's leading management consulting organizations. His tenure at Bain provided him with extensive experience in corporate strategy, organizational management, and advising major global companies, skills he would carry into subsequent leadership roles.

eBay

In March 2008, Donahoe was appointed president and CEO of eBay Inc., succeeding Meg Whitman. His appointment was announced following a period of transition at the company, and he took on the challenge of leading the e-commerce giant during a time of significant change in the online marketplace industry.

During his time as CEO of eBay, Donahoe oversaw significant strategic shifts within the company. He pushed eBay to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and competitive pressures from companies such as Amazon. Under his leadership, eBay worked to modernize its marketplace platform and expand its technology capabilities. One of the most consequential decisions during his tenure was the strategic separation of PayPal, eBay's payments subsidiary, into an independent publicly traded company. The PayPal spin-off, which was completed in 2015, was a major corporate restructuring event that shaped the future of both entities.

As part of the PayPal separation, Forbes reported that eBay disclosed a $23 million golden parachute package for Donahoe, reflecting the significance of the transaction and his role in executing it. Donahoe stepped down as CEO of eBay in 2015, coinciding with the completion of the PayPal split.

Donahoe was a prominent figure in the technology industry during his eBay years. In 2013, he appeared on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt NY, one of the technology industry's marquee conferences, where he discussed eBay's strategy and the broader technology landscape.

ServiceNow

In February 2017, Donahoe was named president and CEO of ServiceNow, an enterprise cloud computing company that provides digital workflow solutions for businesses. His appointment was reported by CNBC and Fortune, among other outlets, and marked his return to a CEO role after his departure from eBay.

At ServiceNow, Donahoe was tasked with continuing the company's growth trajectory in the rapidly expanding cloud computing market. The company, which helps organizations automate and manage their digital workflows, was seen as a major player in enterprise technology. Donahoe led ServiceNow through a period of growth before departing the company in late 2019 to assume the top role at Nike.

Nike

On October 22, 2019, Bloomberg News reported that Nike had named Donahoe as its next CEO, succeeding Mark Parker. Donahoe officially took over as president and CEO of Nike, Inc. in January 2020. His appointment reflected Nike's desire to bring in a leader with deep experience in digital commerce and technology—skills honed during Donahoe's tenures at eBay and ServiceNow—as the sportswear giant sought to accelerate its direct-to-consumer digital strategy.

Donahoe's tenure at Nike coincided with an exceptionally challenging period for global business. The COVID-19 pandemic, which began shortly after he assumed the role, forced widespread store closures and disrupted global supply chains. Under these circumstances, Nike's digital sales channels became increasingly important, and Donahoe's technology background was seen as particularly relevant.

During his time as CEO, Donahoe pursued a strategy focused on digital transformation and direct-to-consumer sales. Nike invested in its digital platforms, apps, and membership programs as it sought to shift more of its business away from traditional wholesale channels and toward selling directly to consumers.

Donahoe served as CEO of Nike until October 2024, when he departed the role. His departure came amid what multiple outlets described as a period of challenges for the company, including shifting consumer preferences and competitive pressures in the athletic footwear and apparel market.

Stanford University Athletic Director

On July 31, 2025, Stanford University announced that President Jon Levin had appointed Donahoe as the school's Jaquish & Kenninger Director and Chair of Athletics. The appointment was widely covered by major news outlets, including ESPN, The New York Times, Reuters, the San Francisco Chronicle, and WWD.

The appointment reflected Donahoe's long-standing ties to Stanford, where he had earned his MBA, as well as the university's interest in bringing business leadership experience to its athletics program during a period of significant transformation in college sports. Reuters noted that Donahoe was returning to the university where he had earned his graduate degree. The San Francisco Chronicle described the hire as reflecting the broader transformation of college sports, which has been reshaped by developments including athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and conference realignment.

Donahoe officially assumed the role on September 8, 2025. During his first week on campus, he met with student-athletes, coaches, and staff, sharing his vision for Stanford athletics. He also issued a public message to the Stanford community expressing his commitment to the role.

Stanford's athletics program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which the university joined as part of the broader wave of conference realignment in college sports.

Board Service and Other Roles

Throughout his career, Donahoe has served on multiple boards and in advisory capacities. He served on the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College from 2003 to 2012, his undergraduate alma mater. He has served as chairman of PayPal, maintaining a connection to the payments company he helped spin off from eBay. He is also a member of the board of directors of The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit consulting firm that advises nonprofits, philanthropists, and investors working to advance social equity.

Personal Life

Donahoe is of Irish-American heritage, a background that has been recognized by Irish America Magazine, which has profiled him on multiple occasions. Records of political donations indicate that Donahoe has been involved in political giving during his career.

He has maintained connections to both of his alma maters throughout his career, serving as a trustee at Dartmouth and ultimately returning to Stanford in a professional capacity as athletic director.

Recognition

Donahoe has received recognition from several organizations over the course of his career. He was profiled by Irish America Magazine and included among notable Irish Americans in business. His leadership of major publicly traded companies—Bain & Company, eBay, ServiceNow, and Nike—placed him among the most prominent American corporate executives of his era.

His appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt NY in 2013 reflected his standing in the technology industry during his eBay tenure. He has been profiled and covered by Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, The New York Times, ESPN, and other major news organizations throughout his career.