Sept 19 (Askume) – Elliot Hill joined Nike (NKE.N) as an intern in 1988 and later used his deep-rooted grit as the son of a working-class single mother in Texas to relentlessly promote hard-work values.
Those qualities could come in handy again when Hill becomes the top boss of the global sneaker and athletic apparel brand next month, helping to revive the company where he spent his entire career.
Nike announced Thursday that Hill will become its next CEO on Oct. 14 , replacing the retiring John Donahoe.
The company’s sales have fallen in recent months as more nimble and innovative brands such as On and Deckers (DECK.N) Hoka have gained market share. Nike said it would work to cut costs by $2 billion over three years.
Donahoe was an outsider, having been backed by eBay (NOW.N) , Bain Capital and cloud company ServiceNow (EBAY.O)
“I pestered him for six months until he finally hired me,” Hill said on the Fortitude podcast in December. “I told him ‘Everyone in the class has a job except for me.’”
His blue-collar authenticity goes back even further. Hill was born in Austin in 1963 and his father abandoned the family when he was three. He said on the podcast that his mother “set an incredible example of commitment and work ethic.” He said sports became an important part of his childhood.
At Nike, he held sales roles, including in the Dallas office. “I drove an old Chrysler minivan and drove it 60,000 miles a year for two years,” he said, describing his early days selling shoes to mom-and-pop retailers.
Hill became president of consumer and marketing in 2018 after serving in several other roles, including leading Nike’s team sports division and serving as vice president of global retail.
Hill recalls a time when Nike represented innovation. In 1988, he was in the room when the company launched its iconic “Just Do It” ad. —a human-themed podcast about people living and working in Fort Worth. “If you can inspire people inside your company, you know you’ll inspire people outside your company, too,” he said.
Hill did not respond to a Askume email seeking comment. But Nagy said Hill had been well received internally and he believed her appointment would be well received by employees.
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The Texas Christian University graduate helped lead Nike’s Dream Crazy campaign in 2018, which was narrated by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Important athletes build relationships.
When Hill wanted to take the Jordan Brand global, the basketball star was intrigued and said he planned to leave a pair of his size 13 shoes on Hill’s desk. “I want you to think about that shoe, and if our revenue comes back, I’ll come and put it behind you,” Hill recalled Jordan saying.
Hill laughed when describing the moment on the podcast. “It was mostly a joke,” he said, “but you know I think they had faith in us and were willing to take the risk.”
Hill and his wife, Gina, established a scholarship at Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon, where the couple’s children attend school. Hill raised the scholarship fund by auctioning off a collection of sports memorabilia he accumulated during his three decades at Nike.
The Laundry, a Portland clothing store that sells vintage sports team apparel, is partnering with Hill for the 2022 auction, owner Chris Yen told Askume on Thursday.
When Yan received a strange call from Hill, he had no idea who Hill was. Hill told Yan that he learned about the store from his son and wanted to partner with him. Yen said the auction raised $2.1 million from memorabilia sales and private donations.
He said, “Elliott is the right person for this job and can help Nike win again.”
Wall Street analysts hope Hill can bring new energy to the Nike brand.
“The company continues to lack product innovation,” said Oppenheimer analyst Brian Nagel, adding “management has been reluctant” to resume partnerships with major retailers.
Analyst Jessica Ramirez of Jane Haley & Associates puts it bluntly: At Nike, she says, “the culture has become different.”
