Nike CEO Mark Parker is Stepping Down Next Year

Nike Chief Executive Mark Parker announced yesterday that he will be stepping down from the position in early January, according to the Los Angeles Times. Former eBay CEO John Donahoe will be taking over for Parker, starting on Jan. 13. While Donahoe will take over as CEO and president of Nike, Parker, who has been with the athletic shoe and apparel company for 40 years, will remain in charge of the company's board as the executive chairman, and will stay closely involved with product design and marketing.

“To be clear, I’m not going anywhere,” Parker said in a memo to employees. “I’m not sick. There are no issues I’m not sharing. I strongly believe the best way for us to evolve and grow as a company is to bring in a phenomenal talent to join our team who has long been part of the Nike family.”

Total Retail's Take: With Parker is in his mid sixties and having been with the company for 40 years, the succession plan at Nike has been a topic within retail circles. The decision to name Donahoe, the former chief of digital-native eBay, as Parker's successor is further proof that Nike is leaning into technology and e-commerce, making it a top priority. This appointment of Donahoe as its next CEO isn't the only way Nike is working to solidify itself as a tech leader. Last year, the company launched a store of the future in New York that features technology designed to capture what the future of in-store shopping with the brand will look like. Nike will look to Donahoe to build upon the success Parker has realized, including positioning the brand as a digital commerce leader.