Edwards is leaving his position as Brand President immediately and will retire from the company in AugustGETTY IMAGES
Nike has "received complaints about inappropriate workplace behavior" and Nike Brand President TREVOR EDWARDS "has resigned, setting off a management shuffle" at the company, according to Sara Germano of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Edwards, seen as a potential successor to Chair & CEO MARK PARKER, will "leave his position immediately and retire from the company in August." In an internal memo to staff announcing the departure, Parker "disclosed that the company in recent weeks had received reports of 'behavior occurring within our organization that do not reflect our core values of inclusivity, respect and empowerment.'" Parker "didn’t specify the nature of the complaints or whether they involved" Edwards or other execs. A Nike spokesperson said that there were "no allegations against" Edwards. Parker said that Nike was "conducting a review of the company’s human-resources systems and practices for elevating internal complaints." As part of the management shake-up, Parker said that he "now planned to remain" in his current position beyond '20. In his memo, he said he was reorganizing the leadership to “allow for closer management and a sharper focus on our culture.” Germano notes Edwards joined Nike in '92 as a regional marketing manager and "worked his way up the leadership ranks." He is "credited with championing Nike’s push into fitness tracking." He has been in his current position since '13 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/16). Parker said that the company will "create a mandatory training program for managers, and he directed staff to hotlines and email addresses to report issues confidentially." In Portland, Mike Rogoway notes Nike promoted President of Geographies & Sales ELLIOTT HILL to "president of the company's consumer and marketplace group." MICHAEL SPILLANE "will remain" President of Categories & Product. Both Hill and Spillane "will report to Parker" (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/16).
CONFUSING SITUATION: Edwards will "stay on board at Nike as an advisor to Parker until his retirement in August" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/15). CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin noted that decision has resulted in "some head scratching going on." Sorkin: "If he’s leaving today but he’s retiring in August, what’s happening between now and August?” CNBC’s Becky Quick said there was either “something he did wrong and he should leave, or he didn’t do anything wrong and he shouldn’t leave.” Sorkin: “It’s confusing” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 3/16).
