Elliott Hill

Elliott Hill
Born	Template:Birth year and age
Birthplace	United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive
Title	President and CEO
Employer	Nike, Inc.
Known for	President and CEO of Nike, Inc.
Education	Texas Christian University (B.S., 1986)

Elliott Hill (born c. 1964) is an American business executive who serves as the president and chief executive officer of Nike, Inc., one of the world's largest athletic footwear and apparel companies. Hill's tenure at Nike spans more than three decades, beginning with an internship in 1988 and encompassing a series of increasingly senior roles across the company's commercial, geographic, and consumer operations. He retired from Nike prior to the appointment of John Donahoe as chief executive in 2020 but was called back to lead the company in October 2024, succeeding Donahoe at a time when the sportswear giant faced declining revenues, eroding market share, and a falling stock price. A 1986 graduate of Texas Christian University, Hill is often cited as an example of a career-long company insider ascending to the top leadership position, having worked his way from intern to CEO over the course of 37 years.

Early Life

Elliott Hill grew up in the United States. Details about his family background and childhood have not been extensively documented in public sources, though Hill has spoken publicly about his formative experiences as a student-athlete and the values instilled in him through sport. According to Texas Christian University, Hill's personal story aligns closely with a core belief of the Nike brand — that "greatness was in all of us" — a philosophy that shaped his worldview from an early age.

Hill attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas, where he graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree. TCU has prominently featured Hill as one of its most notable alumni, and Hill has maintained an active relationship with the university throughout his career. The university has described Hill as someone who embodies the ethos of leadership and perseverance central to its mission.

Hill's connection to Nike began shortly after his graduation from TCU. In 1988, approximately two years after completing his undergraduate studies, he joined Nike as an intern. This internship marked the beginning of a career that would span more than three decades within the same organization, a trajectory that became central to the narrative surrounding his eventual appointment as CEO.

Education

Hill earned his bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University in 1986. TCU, a private research university located in Fort Worth, Texas, has highlighted Hill as a prominent example of its alumni community. The university awarded Hill recognition as part of its "Lead On" campaign, which profiles notable TCU graduates in leadership positions across various industries. Specific details about Hill's major or academic focus at TCU have not been widely reported in available sources.

Career

Early Career at Nike (1988–2000s)

Elliott Hill joined Nike, Inc. as an intern in 1988, two years after graduating from Texas Christian University. Over the course of the following decades, Hill rose through the ranks of the company, holding a series of progressively senior positions across Nike's commercial and geographic business units. His career trajectory within Nike encompassed roles in sales, regional management, and consumer-facing operations, giving him broad exposure to the company's global business.

While specific details about Hill's early roles in the 1990s and early 2000s are not comprehensively documented in available sources, his long tenure and breadth of experience within the organization became defining characteristics of his professional profile. By the time he reached Nike's senior leadership ranks, Hill had accumulated deep institutional knowledge of the company's operations, culture, brand positioning, and relationships with retail partners and athletes — expertise that would later factor into the board's decision to recall him to lead the company.

Senior Leadership Roles

Prior to his retirement, Hill held senior executive positions within Nike's organizational structure, overseeing major business segments and geographic regions. His roles included leadership of Nike's consumer and marketplace operations, which placed him at the intersection of the company's product strategy, retail partnerships, and direct-to-consumer initiatives. Hill was recognized internally as a leader with strong relationships across Nike's ecosystem of athletes, retail partners, and employees.

Hill's deep ties to the sporting community and his understanding of Nike's heritage as an athletics-focused company distinguished him from his predecessor, John Donahoe, who came to Nike from outside the sportswear industry with a background in technology and consulting.

Retirement and Recall

Hill made the decision to retire from Nike prior to John Donahoe's appointment as chief executive in 2020. Donahoe, the former CEO of ServiceNow and president of eBay, was brought in as an outsider to lead Nike through a period of digital transformation. However, under Donahoe's leadership, Nike experienced significant challenges, including declining revenues, reduced market share in key product categories, strained relationships with wholesale retail partners, and a stock price that fell substantially from its peaks.

On September 19, 2024, Nike announced that Donahoe would step down as president and CEO and that Hill would return to the company to assume the role, effective October 2024. The leadership change was reported as a significant course correction by Nike's board of directors, which sought to install a leader with deep knowledge of the company's culture, products, and partnerships. The Financial Times reported that Hill was brought back as a company veteran who could restore Nike's identity as a sport-centered brand after a period in which the company was perceived to have drifted from its core strengths.

The announcement was received positively by many analysts and industry observers, who viewed Hill's appointment as a signal that Nike intended to return to its roots as an athletically oriented brand. Hill's 32-year career at the company and his longstanding relationships with athletes and retail partners were cited as key factors in the board's decision.

CEO of Nike (2024–present)

Initial Priorities

Upon taking office in October 2024, Hill articulated a set of priorities centered on reconnecting Nike with its foundational identity as a sport and athletics company. In interviews and public statements during his first year, Hill emphasized four key themes: showing up for athletes, reigniting employee pride, restoring relationships with wholesale retail partners, and stoking innovation in product development.

Hill acknowledged the scope of the challenges facing the company, telling CNBC in October 2025 that Nike's turnaround would "take a while" and that the company's return to profitable growth would require sustained effort across multiple fronts. This candor contrasted with the more optimistic projections that had characterized the previous administration's public messaging and signaled Hill's intent to set realistic expectations with investors and stakeholders.

Organizational Restructuring

One of the most significant actions of Hill's first year as CEO was a series of leadership overhauls and organizational restructurings designed to streamline Nike's management structure and eliminate layers of bureaucracy. In December 2025, Nike announced a major round of senior leadership changes under Hill's direction. Venkatesh Alagirisamy was named executive vice president and chief operating officer. At the same time, chief technology officer Muge Dogan and chief commercial officer Craig Williams departed the company.

These changes were described as part of a broader effort to eliminate management layers and accelerate decision-making within the organization. The restructuring aligned with what Hill characterized as a "Win Now" strategy aimed at creating a more agile and responsive corporate structure.

According to Business Insider, Hill made five significant changes during 2025 to turn around the struggling sportswear brand, including the leadership shake-up and a broader strategic reorientation.

Restoring Wholesale Relationships

A central element of Hill's turnaround strategy involved rebuilding Nike's relationships with wholesale retail partners, which had been strained under the previous administration's aggressive push toward direct-to-consumer sales. Under Donahoe, Nike had pulled back from many wholesale accounts in favor of selling directly through its own stores and digital platforms. While this strategy was initially seen as a way to capture higher margins and control the brand experience, it resulted in reduced shelf space at key retailers and allowed competitors to gain market share.

Hill moved to reverse this approach, signaling a renewed commitment to wholesale partnerships as a key distribution channel. This effort was part of a broader strategy to ensure Nike products were available where consumers wanted to shop, rather than requiring them to seek out Nike-owned retail channels.

Return to Sport-Centered Identity

Hill repeatedly emphasized the importance of returning Nike to what he described as its heritage as a company built by and for athletes. In a major interview published by Nike in October 2025, marking his one-year anniversary as CEO, Hill discussed his vision for reconnecting the brand with the sporting community at every level, from elite professional athletes to recreational participants.

This emphasis on sport represented a deliberate shift from the Donahoe era, during which Nike was perceived by some industry observers to have prioritized lifestyle and fashion positioning over its traditional athletic identity. Hill's approach involved increased investment in sport-specific innovation and a renewed focus on performance products alongside the company's lifestyle offerings.

Stock Performance and Investor Confidence

Despite Hill's strategic efforts, Nike's stock continued to face pressure during his first year as CEO. Shares of Nike fell approximately 19% in 2025, reflecting the ongoing challenges of the turnaround and broader market conditions.

In a notable show of personal confidence, Hill made significant insider purchases of Nike stock near the end of 2025. Nike director Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple Inc., also purchased shares during the same period. These insider purchases were reported by CNBC and prompted a temporary uptick in Nike's share price, as markets typically interpret insider buying as a positive signal about a company's future prospects.

Hill's frank acknowledgment that the turnaround would take time, combined with his willingness to invest personal capital in the company's shares, established a tone of measured confidence that contrasted with the more immediate expectations that often accompany CEO transitions.

Ongoing Turnaround Efforts

As reported by Puck in December 2025, Hill's turnaround strategy involved maintaining Nike's position as a $100 billion sportswear company while simultaneously addressing the structural and strategic issues that had accumulated during the previous leadership period. The report described Hill's efforts as a "second act" at Nike, characterized by a sustained focus on operational discipline, brand restoration, and competitive repositioning.

The scope of the challenge facing Hill was substantial. Nike's competitive position had eroded during the Donahoe era, with brands such as On, Hoka, and New Balance gaining market share in key running and athletic categories. Hill's task involved not only reversing Nike's internal strategic missteps but also responding to a fundamentally changed competitive landscape in which newer, more nimble brands had captured consumer attention and loyalty.

Personal Life

Elliott Hill has maintained a relatively private personal life. He is a graduate of Texas Christian University, to which he has maintained strong ties throughout his career. TCU has featured Hill prominently in its alumni communications and leadership profiles, and Hill has spoken at university events about his career and the values he developed as a student there.

Hill's decision to come out of retirement to lead Nike in 2024 was described by multiple outlets as a significant personal commitment, given that he had stepped away from the company several years earlier. His return was interpreted as reflecting both his deep personal attachment to Nike as an institution and his belief that he could contribute to restoring the company's competitive position and cultural identity.

As of late 2025, Hill demonstrated his personal financial commitment to Nike by making significant insider purchases of company stock during a period of declining share prices.

Recognition

Hill's appointment as CEO of Nike and his subsequent turnaround efforts have been the subject of extensive coverage in major business and financial publications, including The New York Times, the Financial Times, CNBC, Business Insider, and Puck.

Texas Christian University has recognized Hill as one of its most prominent alumni. The university featured Hill in its "Lead On" campaign, a series profiling notable TCU graduates in leadership positions, and published an extensive profile highlighting his career trajectory from TCU student to CEO of one of the world's largest consumer brands.

Hill's career trajectory — from intern to CEO at the same company over a period of more than three decades — has been cited in business media as an example of the value of institutional knowledge and long-term career development within a single organization. His return to Nike from retirement to lead the company through a period of significant challenge further added to the narrative interest surrounding his career.

Legacy

As of early 2026, Hill's legacy at Nike remains in formation, with his turnaround efforts still in their early stages. However, several aspects of his leadership have already attracted attention and commentary from business observers.

Hill's appointment represented a significant corporate governance decision by Nike's board of directors, which chose to recall a retired company veteran rather than pursue another external hire. This decision was interpreted by analysts as an acknowledgment that Nike's challenges were rooted in a departure from its core identity and that the solution required someone with deep familiarity with the company's culture, history, and relationships.

The organizational restructurings Hill implemented during his first year signaled a willingness to make difficult personnel and structural changes in pursuit of greater efficiency and responsiveness. His emphasis on eliminating management layers and empowering faster decision-making addressed longstanding criticisms of Nike's bureaucratic structure that had accumulated during the Donahoe era.

Hill's articulation of a sport-centered strategy — summarized in the idea of being the "CEO of Sport" — represented an effort to redefine Nike's corporate identity at a time when the brand faced increased competition from newer athletic brands. Whether this strategic vision can translate into sustained financial performance and market share recovery will ultimately determine the scope and significance of Hill's legacy at one of the world's most prominent consumer brands.

His career arc from intern to CEO at the same company has also contributed to broader discussions in business media about the advantages and limitations of promoting internal candidates to top leadership positions, particularly at times of organizational crisis.