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Dive Brief:

• Continuing its leadership revamp, Nike has appointed Ann Miller to serve as executive vice president of global sports marketing, the athletic brand announced Wednesday. Miller, who is currently the company’s chief legal officer, has been with the company for 18 years. 

• Miller succeeds John Slusher, who will retire later this year from Nike after nearly 30 years with the company.

• Additionally, Chief Supply Chain Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy will become a member of the company’s senior leadership team and will report directly to Nike CEO Elliott Hill.

Dive Insight:

Nike announced changes in its senior leadership team to position the company for growth.

In a statement, Hill credited Slusher, who’s been at the company since 1998, with shaping the company’s approach to sports marketing and creating a portfolio of “athletes, leagues, and federations that is truly unmatched.”

Once Miller takes the helm of Nike’s global sports marketing operations, she will manage its portfolio of partners and integrate athletes into the brand’s storytelling, product and innovation operations, the company said.

“Ann possesses a unique blend of athlete mindset, deep legal expertise, and exceptional leadership. Her appointment is a testament to the value she brings to Nike,” Hill said in a statement regarding Miller’s appointment. 

As Miller transitions into her new role, current Deputy General Counsel Rob Leinwand will succeed her to become the company’s chief legal officer. Leinwand, who has been with the company since 2004, will also report to Hill and join the company’s senior leadership team, per the press release.

Hill took on the role of chief executive on Oct. 14, following the announcement of John Donahoe’s retirement. Hill was a longtime Nike executive who previously retired from the company in 2020. 

The athletics retailer this year said it had flaws in its DTC strategy and is in the middle of a transformation. The company most recently reported a first quarter that saw revenues down 10% year over year to $11.6 billion. Nike Direct revenue was down 13% in the quarter, mostly due to a 20% decline in the retailer’s digital business. 

Nearly a year ago the company announced a cost-savings plan that included layoffs of about 2% of its total workforce. 

Though Nike is a top athletics brand, its influence appears to be waning among younger consumers, research suggests. Nearly six in ten (59%) respondents to Piper Sandler’s 47th semi-annual teen survey named Nike as their favorite footwear brand. However, Piper Sandler’s fall 2023 survey found that 61% of respondents said Nike was their favorite shoe brand.