Nike is moving ahead with yet another round of layoffs amid a laborious restructuring process.
On Thursday, Nike Inc. chief operating officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy revealed the news in a memo, which stated the move was part of the “next phase” of the company’s “Win Now” turnaround plan.
All told, the company confirmed to FN that approximately 1,400 operations roles have been impacted across North America, Europe and Asia, and represents less than 2 percent of the company’s total global headcount.
“Across the company, we have been taking deliberate steps to strengthen our foundation, sharpen how we compete, and build a model designed to deliver long-term profitable growth,” Alagirisamy wrote. “Global operations is critical to that effort.”
The changes are aimed at “simplifying complexity” in global operations and creating an organization better built for the pace of sport, the company said.
“Over the coming months, we will continue evolving global operations to better serve athletes and the business with more speed, simplicity, and precision,” Alagirisamy continued. “Some of that work is happening now and more will continue over time as we align our teams, capabilities, and footprint to the future needs of the company.”
The executive added that in the coming weeks, several “significant changes” will take effect across global operations. These actions will result in changes to some team structures, work locations, and headcount, he said.
Some of these changes include reshaping Nike’s technology team to “sharpen alignment with the business, build leaner teams and accelerate what matters most.” Alagirisamy noted that this means consolidating Nike’s technology footprint, streamlining its structure to move with greater speed and focus, and doubling down on two strategically important hubs — Philip H. Knight Campus in Beaverton, Ore. and the Nike India Technology Center.
Another change is modernizing how work gets done across the company’s Air Manufacturing Innovation (Air MI) facilities in Beaverton, Ore.; St. Louis, Mo.; and Vietnam by increasing resiliency, streamlining processes, and adjusting staffing to match the needs of the business.
Converse is also in play as these new reductions are a result of moving some of the brand’s footwear manufacturing and engineering resources closer to factory partners. What’s more, the company is also bringing its materials supply chain work directly into Nike’s footwear and apparel supply chain teams.
“Part of doing the right thing is being direct,” Alagirisamy added. “Another part is making sure people are treated with care. Teammates whose roles are impacted will hear directly from their leaders and HR partners starting today, and we will work to make sure they have clear information and support through this transition.”
Thursday’s memo comes after Nike disclosed in January that nearly 800 jobs were on the chopping block as it consolidated its U.S. distribution center operations across facilities in Tennessee and Mississippi. And just weeks later, Converse set its own cuts, although exact numbers of who was impacted were not disclosed at the time.
In March, the Beaverton, Ore.-based company reported net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2026 fell 35 percent to $520 million from $794 million in the year-ago period. Diluted earnings per share dropped to 35 cents from 54 cents.
Net sales in the period tallied $11.3 billion, flat from $11.3 billion on a reported basis and down 3 percent on a currency-neutral basis.
