Mark Parker
Executive Chairman, Nike
Having joined the sportswear giant in 1979, the executive chairman still participates in the design and innovation process and has a personal interest in emerging culture.
Mark Parker served as Nike, Inc. chairman, president and CEO for 14 years, chairman for four years, and continues to serve as executive chairman.
Prior to becoming chairman, Parker has been instrumental in Nike’s annual revenue growth since joining the company in 1979. Since taking on the role of as chief executive in 2006, profits have increased 57 percent and Nike’s market cap has more than doubled. The success of Nike stems from how well Parker has embraced innovation and prioritised design.
Parker has overseen the sportswear giant's emergence into the fashion industry’s orbit. Parker has successfully appealed to the street style generation with what have become best-selling products, most notably Nike’s Free Runs, Air Max and Fly Knit product lines. Fast Company named Parker the Most Creative Chief Executive in 2012. In 2015, he was named Fortune’s Business Person of the Year.
He is one of three members of HTM, a three-person design collaboration, alongside designer Tinker Hatfield and creative consultant Hiroshi Fujiwara, that functions as Nike’s core R&D team. HTM is an unusual collaboration: it resides within a more than $30 billion dollar company yet it operates without deadlines or budget constraints and is guided solely by the interests of its three members. Since HTM's formation in 2002, the trio has launched over 30 limited-edition shoes.
Parker’s ability to market Nike’s brand through its design sensibility, as well as its products’ functionality, stems from his personal experience as a member of the company’s design team. Having graduated from Penn State University in 1977, with a degree in Political Science, Parker joined Nike in 1979 as a footwear designer based in its research and design facility in Exeter, New Hampshire. Parker serves on the Board of Directors for The Walt Disney Company.
Parker became division vice president in charge of development in 1987, corporate vice president in 1989, general manager in 1993 and vice president of global footwear in 1998. Prior to becoming chief executive, he served as co-president with Charlie Denson from March 2001, until his appointment in 2006.
Parker continues to contribute to the company’s design processes and Nike’s lasting legacy.
Career History
VITAL STATISTICS
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How did Nike’s share price hit an all-time high in the middle of a pandemic? The American sportswear giant’s success is rooted in a radical direct-to-consumer strategy built around content, community and customisation, and conceived for a post-internet world where brand connections are everything.
Case Study | Inside Nike’s Radical Direct-to-Consumer Strategy
How did Nike’s share price hit an all-time high in the middle of a pandemic? The American sportswear giant’s success is rooted in a radical direct-to-consumer strategy built around content, community and customisation, and conceived for a post-internet world where brand connections are everything.
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John Donahoe, a Nike board member, will resume the top job in 2020.
Nike CEO Mark Parker to Step Down
John Donahoe, a Nike board member, will resume the top job in 2020.
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Nike Unveils 14 National Kits in Women's World Cup Push
The deal between Nike and UEFA signifies the growing financial power of women's sport for brands such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour.
What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
