Nike pushes digital efforts with newly expanded executive role

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Dec 5, 2018

Nike, Inc. has expanded the role of Heidi O’Neill, the company's current President of Nike Direct, in a push to further ramp up the athleticwear empire's digital strategy.

In her updated role, O'Neill will continue to oversee Nike physical retail stores and Nike.com, and will now also manage all Nike digital products, services and member experiences, effective immediately.

O’Neill will report to Elliott Hill, Nike's president of consumer and marketplace.

Beginning her career at the athleticwear company as a marketing director in apparel, O’Neill has been with Nike for 20 years, serving in senior management roles including president of direct to consumer, vice president of U.S. apparel, and vice president, general manager of global Nike women’s category.

Prior to Nike, O'Neill served as director of marketing at Levi Strauss & Co., and vice president and management supervisor at Foote Cone & Belding. 

O'Neill's newly broadened position follows the opening of Nike's digitally-enhanced House of Innovation in New York City. 

“In this expanded role, we’re confident in her ability to lead Nike Direct through the next transformative and digitally-led era for Nike," said Hill.

O’Neill is a founding board member of the Nike School Innovation Fund and a current member of the Board of Directors for Spotify, as well as a former director of the Skullcandy Board of Directors.

In addition to O'Neill's refreshed position, Nike also announced that Adam Sussman, previously Nike’s chief digital officer, will also take on an expanded role as vice president, general manager of Nike Direct digital and geographies. Sussman will report to O’Neill.