Interns are lowest on the totem pole within companies — these people are usually the lowest paid, and can often be assigned tasks ranging from making appointments to fetching coffee. But if they stick around for sufficiently long, they can sometimes reach the very top.
Elliott Hill, the newly-appointed Nike CEO, had joined the company as an intern in 1988. He had a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, and had followed it up with a Masters in Sports Administration. At that point, he joined fledgling sportswear company Nike with the designation Intern, Apparel Sales Representative.
This was an entry-level role, but it set the stage for a lifelong relationship with the brand. Over the next two years, Hill immersed himself in understanding the intricacies of the business, and soon, he had the opportunity to step into a full-time position as a Sales Representative in 1990. By 1991, Hill had moved into a position within Team Sales, where he remained for three years. His next role came in Sales, Sports Graphics, a niche but critical area for Nike, where Hill spent a year building his expertise in a broader segment of the company’s marketing strategies.
Between 1994 and 1996, Hill took on the role of Sales Representative, further honing his leadership and sales skills. His experience led him to Sales Management in 1996, where he spent two years guiding sales strategies for the company. By now, he had established himself as a reliable leader with a strong track record of results.
In 1998, Hill’s dedication paid off when he became the Director of Nike’s Team Sports Division. For two years, he oversaw the strategic direction and growth of one of Nike’s most essential divisions, solidifying his reputation as a capable and forward-thinking leader.
Hill’s trajectory continued upward when, in 2000, he was appointed Vice President, EMEA Sales and Retail. This role saw him transition into international markets, a crucial step that not only broadened his perspective but also helped Nike gain an even stronger foothold in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. His success in this region eventually earned him a promotion to Vice President and General Manager, USA Retail in 2003, where he worked for a year to further enhance Nike’s performance in its home market.
Hill’s expertise in retail strategy and commerce next led him to the role of Vice President, USA Commerce in 2004. By 2006, Hill was well-versed in the intricacies of managing large-scale retail and sales operations, and this experience earned him the position of Vice President, Global Retail. For four years, he oversaw Nike’s growing portfolio of stores around the world, helping to craft the global retail strategy that shaped how the brand interacted with customers.
In 2010, Hill became the Vice President and General Manager, North America, a role in which he led the brand’s efforts to maintain and grow its presence in the competitive North American market. He soon transitioned into President, Geographies & Sales in 2013, further expanding his influence to oversee Nike’s growth across different regions globally.
In his next position as President, Geographies & Integrated Marketplace from 2016 to 2018, Hill’s role took on a more holistic scope as he began shaping not just the geographical growth strategy but also the integrated approach to marketplaces, focusing on both digital and physical channels.
From 2018 to 2020, Hill was the President, Consumer & Marketplace for Nike. Here, he refined Nike’s consumer experience strategy, ensuring that the company’s retail and digital platforms remained aligned with changing consumer behaviors. His time in this role proved instrumental in setting the foundation for Nike’s success during the pandemic, when e-commerce took center stage.
In September 2024, after 36 years of dedicated service, Elliott Hill was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Nike. His rise from intern to CEO is not just a testament to his hard work but a demonstration of how if one can immerse themselves in a company, learning its values, understanding its vision, and ultimately shaping its future, there is no end to how high they might rise.