Nike Inc.’s making more changes to its senior leadership team as part of its growth and offense initiatives under its “Win Now” strategy.
Nike president and CEO Elliott Hill said in an open letter to staff that the moves will give “sales and Nike Direct an even stronger voice in how we set strategy and invest.” He said the changes reflect the “critical role” the marketplace plays in driving Nike’s success. In addition, Hill said the changes “further remove layers and continue to bring us closer to athletes and the marketplace.”
Among the changes, one big move was the elimination of the role of executive vice president and chief commercial officer, although Craig Williams who had the role will continue to serve as a full-time non-executive employee through April 6, 2026. Williams played a role in advancing the company’s marketplace strategy and was the former president of Nike’s Jordan Brand.
“Throughout his time at Nike and Jordan, Craig has united teams around the world and through his passion for our brands, his commitment excellence and his value-based leadership. We wish him the best in his next chapter,” Hill wrote.
The change also resulted in the elimination of the role of executive vice president, chief technology officer, with Dr. Muge Dogan leaving the company. Hill said she helped advance Nike’s tech capabilities.
In other changes, chief supply officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy will take on the new role of executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective Dec. 8. A nearly 20-year Nike veteran, he will report to Hill. In his new role, Alagirisamy will lead technology, in addition to his exising responsibilities leading supply chain, planning, operations, manufacturing and sustainability. He and his team will ensure that technology is fully integrated across the company and in how Nike creates, plans, makes, delivers and sells its product across its three brands.
In a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Alagirisamy’s annual base salary will be increased to $1.025 million, and his target bonus opportunity under the Executive Performance Sharing Plan will be increased to 120 percent. He will continue to receive a long-term incentive award, with a target grant value increased to $5.5 million, comprising 50 percent performance-based restricted stock units — which the filing said generally vest based on achievement of financial goals over a three-year performance period — and 25 percent stock options and 25 percent restricted stock units. The stock options and units generally vest one-quarter per year on the anniversary of the date of the grant.
The newly-named chief operating officer also will receive a one-time equity award on Dec. 10 representing the incremental increase of his “annual stock grant target grant value” for fiscal year 2026. They include $2.3 million in performance-based restricted stock units, $415,000 in stock options and $415,000 in restricted stock units. He and Nike have also entered into a non-compete agreement that applies for one year should his employment end.
In other moves, the leaders of Nike’s four geographies will join the senior leadership team, also reporting to Hill: Angela Dong, Greater China; Carl Grebert, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa); Tom Peddie, North America, and Cathy Sparks, APLA (Asia Pacific Latin America).
Hill said in his letter that it’s “significant our brand presidents and our geography leaders are sitting together at the same Nike Inc. leadership table,” noting that with the newly evolved senior leadership team, “we’ll be able to accelerate the core aspects of our Win Now actions.”
The global sale and Nike Direct teams will now report to Nike’s executive vice president and chief financial officer Matt Friend. Hill said bringing these teams under Friend’s leadership, alongside the strategy work he already oversees, “puts him in a unique position to connect our marketplace directly to company strategy and where we place our biggest bets.” The CEO added that the change “ensures that insights from our stores, our digital platforms, and our wholesale partners directly shape our corporate planning, growth initiatives, and investment priorities.”
