In October, another one of Nike’s most faithful servants will leave Beaverton, Oregon.
Nike’s Chief Innovation Officer, John Hoke, is leaving the company. This is one of many new management shifts Nike has implemented over the past year. The latest major shift occurred in early May 2025, when another four key personnel changes were made.
Hoke grew up playing sports and running cross country, where he noticed that all the racers wore Nike waffle trainers. He sketched the sneakers and envisioned how they could be better and also sent his ideas to Nike cofounder and former CEO Phil Knight. Knight responded, saying it was an intriguing idea and Hoke should consider joining Nike when he got older.
Hoke earned a degree in architecture and joined Nike in 1992. He worked on image and brand design at trade shows, global exhibits, and Nike stores. He also created the first website and physical and digital catalogs.
His roles at Nike included eight years as Vice President of Footwear Design, two years at Converse, and 15 years as Nike’s Chief Design Officer. He was promoted to Chief Innovation Officer in 2023.
Hoke will remain with Nike until October to complete ongoing projects. The company plans to announce his successor, according to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg.
