Nike's recent purge continued yesterday with the "ouster of five more senior managers, including the first woman," and while no details were provided, the dismissals "suggest the company's investigation is not restricted to gender equity and #MeToo complaints," according to Jeff Manning of the Portland OREGONIAN. Among those dismissed were VP/Performance Category Marketing SIMON PESTRIDGE, VP & GM/Global Running STEVE LESNARD, Dir of Global Sports Marketing TOMMY KAIN, Senior Creative Dir IBRAHEM HASAN and VP & GM/Nike East for North America HELEN KIM. The latest departures bring the number of senior Nike managers dismissed to "at least nine, possibly as high as 14." Nike's image as a "progressive, enlightened workplace has taken a beating since the purge began." Older workers "protested that they were targeted in last year's layoff of about 1,400," and some women "complained they were overlooked and harassed by their male counterparts" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/9). In N.Y., Creswell & Draper write the latest departures "may provide more reassurance to employees seeking signs" that Nike Chair, President & CEO MARK PARKER is "trying to address the workplace problems that have plagued the company in recent years." In his address last week to employees, Parker said that Nike was "taking steps to become a more collaborative workplace where all voices were heard, and would be more open about efforts to improve the diversity of its work force and its progress toward meeting equal pay goals." But Creswell & Draper note the "exodus of so many top executives could also heighten scrutiny" of Parker, who "worked closely with many of those who are leaving." Nike's BOD so far has "not made any comments on the management overhaul or whether it still has confidence" in Parker's leadership (N.Y. TIMES, 5/9).
JUST THE BEGINNING: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Sara Germano cites a source as saying that with the latest exits, Nike has now "completed the initial phase of an internal investigation into complaints of inappropriate workplace behavior." Nike Exec VP/Global HR MONIQUE MATHESON yesterday told staff the company had "received more than 43,000 responses to an employee survey." She wrote in a memo that the responses were "fueling some very important conversations and changes." Matheson also said yesterday that Nike would "start requiring managers to have quarterly performance check-ins with employees" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/9).
