Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
John Hoke, a longtime top design executive at Nike Inc., is retiring after more than three decades shaping new products at the world’s largest sportswear company.
Hoke is stepping down as Nike’s chief innovation officer, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News. In that role, he’d been charged with speeding up the pace of product development.
He’ll stay on board through October to finish some projects and Nike plans to name a successor for the position soon, according to the memo.
A representative for Nike confirmed Hoke’s departure. Hoke didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
ADVERTISEMENT
The top ranks of Nike’s management have shuffled significantly in recent months under CEO Elliott Hill, who came out of retirement last year to try to turn around a sales slump. Footwear executive Phil McCartney was named Nike’s new executive vice president and chief innovation, design and product officer this month.
Hoke, an architect, started at Nike in 1992 working on stores and fixtures before getting into footwear. He went on to become Nike’s chief design officer for 15 years, overseeing more than 1,000 employees globally, before being put in charge of innovation in 2023. Mark Parker, Nike’s executive chairman and former CEO, worked closely with Hoke over the years to develop new prototypes and products.
Hill told employees in the memo that Hoke had a meaningful effect on Nike’s growth throughout his tenure, and that his design influence will be seen at Nike for years to come. He credited Hoke with designing the first Niketown New York and the Serena Williams Building at company headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.
Hoke said in an interview with Bloomberg News last year that his teams had a “very aggressive agenda” developing a suite of underfoot cushioning technology, including new ways to use Nike’s proprietary Air system.
By Kim Bhasin and Lily Meier
Learn more:
Nike to Raise Prices by Next Week, to Return to Selling on Amazon, Media Reports Say
The world’s biggest sportswear brand is raising prices on several products next week and selling products on e-commerce giant Amazon.
