Elliott Hill's 32-year journey at Nike from intern to CEO goes viral

Elliott Hill, who has spent over 32 years at Nike, started his journey as an intern and will now be leading the iconic company.

In Short

• Elliott Hill named Nike CEO from Oct 14, 2024
• Hill's annual base salary will be $1.5 million
• Hill started at Nike as an intern in 1988

Nike has announced that Elliott Hill will take over as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the global sports brand, effective from October 14, 2024.

In a regulatory filing, Nike also revealed that Hill’s annual base salary as CEO will be $1.5 million.

Hill, who has spent over 32 years at Nike, started his journey as an intern and will now be leading the iconic company. His inspiring career progression has caught the attention of many, and his LinkedIn profile has gone viral, highlighting his steady rise within the company.

Hill’s journey with Nike began in 1988 when he joined as an Apparel Sales Representative intern. Over the years, he climbed the corporate ladder, working in various sales and management roles across different regions and divisions of the company. Now, after three decades of dedication and hard work, he has been chosen to lead Nike as its CEO.

Elliott Hill’s career at Nike is nothing short of remarkable. Starting as an intern in 1988, he held that position for two years before moving into sales roles. From 1990 to 1991, he worked in Sports Graphics sales, followed by a three-year stint in Team Sales from 1991 to 1994. His ability to excel in these roles led him to a Sales Representative position, which he held for another two years until 1996.

Hill’s leadership skills were soon recognised, and he transitioned into management roles. He worked in Sales Management from 1996 to 1998 before becoming the Director of the Team Sports Division, a position he held for two years. This period marked the beginning of Hill’s rapid ascent in the company.

In 2000, Hill took on an international role as Vice President of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) Sales and Retail, where he spent three years. After that, he returned to the US market as Vice President and General Manager of USA Retail for a year, followed by a role as Vice President of USA Commerce from 2004 to 2005.

Hill’s career continued to flourish, and from 2006 to 2010, he served as Vice President of Global Retail. He then became Vice President and General Manager of North America, where he remained for three years, from 2010 to 2013.

As Hill took on more senior roles at Nike, his responsibilities grew. In 2013, he became President of Geographies & Sales, a role he held until 2016. He was then appointed President of Geographies & Integrated Marketplace, serving in that position until 2018. From 2018 to 2020, Hill served as President of Consumer & Marketplace, overseeing Nike’s operations globally.

Now, Hill is poised to take on the top job as CEO, after three decades of working his way up the company. His rise from intern to CEO has made headlines, and his career path is being celebrated as an example of dedication, hard work, and loyalty.

Elliott Hill’s promotion to CEO has been welcomed by Nike’s Executive Chairman, Mark Parker, who has worked with Hill for over 30 years. Parker praised Hill’s deep understanding of Nike’s industry, customers, and partners, calling him the right person to lead Nike’s next phase of growth.

“I am excited to welcome Elliott back to NIKE. Given our needs for the future, the past performance of the business, and after conducting a thoughtful succession process, the Board concluded it was clear Elliott’s global expertise, leadership style, and deep understanding of our industry and partners, paired with his passion for sport, our brands, products, consumers, athletes, and employees, make him the right person to lead Nike’s next stage of growth,” said Mark Parker, Executive Chairman of NIKE, Inc.

“Personally, I have worked with Elliott for more than 30 years and I look forward to supporting him and his senior management team as they seize the opportunities ahead," he added.