Nike Unveils Global Leadership Shuffle to Accelerate ‘Sport Offense’ Strategy

NIKE, Inc. has announced a series of senior executive transitions across its primary global regions, aimed at implementing a new ‘Sport Offense’ strategy in their global market.

The staffing transition, announced on 20 January 2026, affect leadership in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Greater China, and Asia Pacific and Latin America (APLA), as the organisation seeks to recover from a challenging 2025 fiscal year.

The restructuring follows CEO Elliott Hill’s mandate to “reconnect the brand with sport and culture” after Nike reported a 16% revenue decline in Greater China for the second quarter of 2026.

The transitions are designed to advance the ‘Win Now’ initiative, a turnaround plan focused on clearing excess inventory, diversifying product portfolios, and strengthening wholesale partner relationships following a period of digital-first overextension.

Commenting on the staffing decision, Elliott Hill, said: “I’m confident these changes will further accelerate our Sport Offense, advance our Win Now actions, and position NIKE, Inc. to continue having impact in the way only we can.”

“Cathy Sparks and César Garcia bring the deep intuition for athletes and the urgency needed to bring Nike’s magic back to markets that need it most,” Hill said.

Strategic Leadership Appointments

The leadership shuffle introduces veteran expertise into high-priority geographies:

EMEA: César Garcia will succeed Carl Grebert as vice president and general manager, effective 2 February 2026. Grebert retires after nearly 30 years with the firm. Garcia, a 25-year veteran, previously led the Global Running division and will focus on scaling innovation across European markets.

Greater China: Cathy Sparks will take over from Angela Dong on 31 March 2026. Sparks, who started her career as a “store athlete,” is tasked with rebuilding brand heat in China’s highly competitive digital ecosystem.

APLA: Cristin “Crissy” Campbell has been named Interim Vice President and General Manager, providing stability for the region while a permanent successor for Sparks is identified.

Commercial Implications

The reason for the decision centers on Nike’s shift away from broad lifestyle narratives in favour of sport-led, athlete-driven innovation.

Organising the business around specific sports, rather than just demographic categories, is expected to restore the brand’s premium positioning.

While Nike’s wholesale revenue rose by 8% to USD7.5 billion in the most recent quarter, Nike Direct sales fell by 9%, highlighting the need for the new regional leaders to rebalance the marketplace.

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