Nike VP ANDREW MOONEY, a 20-year veteran of the company
who served as interim CMO and led the company's global
marketing division and apparel business, has been named
President of Disney Consumer Products Worldwide. Mooney
will lead Disney's Consumer Products business, which
includes licensing, The Disney Stores, Disney Interactive
and Disney Publishing (Disney). In Portland, Andy Dworkin
reports that Mooney will remain with Nike until January 10.
Meanwhile, Nike "will look inside and outside the company"
to fill his post and "hopes to have a replacement or interim
apparel head named by the time Mooney leaves." Mooney said
that his decision to leave Nike "had nothing to do with"
Nike's hiring of ELLEN TAYLOR as CMO last month. But Nike
officials said yesterday that Mooney's departure "was a
surprise" (Portland OREGONIAN, 12/14). Mooney is credited
for Nike's "Just Do It" and "Bo Knows" ad campaigns (USA
TODAY, 12/14). Mooney also led Nike's Jordan Brand and
oversaw the company's recent "reorganization of Nike's brand
marketing" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/14).
STRAIGHT FROM EISNER: USA TODAY's Keith Alexander
profiles Disney in a Money cover story and quotes Disney CEO
MICHAEL EISNER predicting a comeback for the company after a
tough '99: "We grew so fast. We went from a $2 billion
market valuation to $60 to $80 billion. There's a period of
time which we've been going through, where there's been some
shaking out, some consolidations and some cost reductions
when necessary. But I'm sure we will be back to appropriate
growth down the line" (USA TODAY, 12/14).
