In 1978, Nike released the Air Tailwind: the first sneaker to feature the brand’s now-iconic Air cushioning technology.
The tech was hidden inside the midsole, but it marked the beginning of Nike’s most powerful innovation story.
Nearly a decade later, the Air Max 1 made the invisible visible. With its exposed Air unit and sleek silhouette, Nike didn’t just launch a sneaker…it created a movement that blurred the lines between performance and lifestyle.
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Since then, Nike (NKE) has claimed the innovation crown. From Flyknit to auto-lacing sneakers, sustainability pushes to space-inspired capsules, the brand knows how to look futuristic.
But beyond the buzzwords, how much of it has truly moved the needle?
Recent years have been marked less by invention and more by reshuffles and retreats. Earnings have dropped. Strategy has shifted.
And now, the man who helped shape Nike’s innovative identity for decades is stepping down at the worst possible time.
Nike’s latest exit leaves a hole the brand can’t afford right now.
Image source: GingeSwagTia/Shutterstock
Another Nike longtime leader exits
Chief Innovation Officer John Hoke is retiring after more than 30 years at Nike, according to Retail Dive.
Hoke will stay on through October to wrap up projects and support a transition, but his departure marks yet another high-profile exit from a company trying to course correct.
Hoke’s legacy inside Nike runs deep. He joined the company in 1995 and went on to lead some of Nike’s most influential creative and innovation work.
His fingerprints are on everything from product design systems to some of Nike’s boldest launches. Former colleagues have credited him with helping define Nike’s visual language.
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But his exit follows a growing list of shakeups. Just this year, longtime Nike exec Heidi O’Neill stepped down after 26 years.
The company also restructured its product and brand leadership under CEO Elliott Hill, who has brought in new leaders to steer the ship.
Additionally, Nike just announced that Michael Gonda, a former McDonald’s and Chobani executive, will be the new chief communications officer.
At this point, if you’ve lost track of who has left and who has joined Nike, you’re not alone — my head is spinning, too.
The cost of Nike’s internal chaos
Nike isn’t just bleeding talent — it’s bleeding trust. Retail partners are still recovering from the years Nike spent chasing direct-to-consumer dominance.
Investors are watching a turnaround plan that has yet to prove itself. And the brand’s identity, once centered on innovation, feels increasingly unmoored.
This past quarter, Nike reported a 9% revenue decline. Executives made it clear they’re in damage control mode: cutting promos, clearing inventory through outlets, and repositioning Nike Digital as a full-price channel.
But aging franchises and weak apparel continue to drag on momentum.
In February, Nike announced a partnership with Kim Kardashian’s Skims brand. The first drop was promised for this spring, aimed at boosting appeal in the women’s segment. Yet with fewer than 17 days left in the season, time is running out.
It was a bold move on paper. But bold branding without timely execution? Not the best look.
Meanwhile, recently named Chief Innovation, Design, and Product Officer Phil McCartney is expected to name Hoke’s successor, although that appointment has not yet been made.
The delay raises even more questions about where Nike’s innovation engine is headed next, and whether it still knows how to build greatness from within.
For Nike to win again, innovation can’t just be part of its story — it has to be the spark that reignites everything.
