Nike President and Chief Executive Officer Elliott Hill spoke exclusively to Bloomberg’s Romaine Bostick in Milan, Italy, during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Bloomberg Television reported on 11 February 2026. The interview took place about 16 months after Hill took over as CEO. They discussed the relaunch of the ACG brand, Nike’s renewed commitment to sport, new products, market share in China, and the company’s turnaround plan.
Nike used the Games to bring ACG back to the trail-running consumer. “We also use this as an opportunity to reintroduce, if you will, the ACG brand to the trail running consumer,” Hill said. “And we thought there was no better place to do it than here in Milan when the eyes of the world were watching.”
Hill called major sporting events “tentpole moments.” “These sport moments are critically important to our brand and frankly, to the industry,” he said. He added that they are “galvanizing moments for our teams internally to make certain we show up at our best.”
Bostick asked whether Nike was playing offense in the outdoor market or catching up with established brands. Hill answered: “I think we’re always on the offense. We actually have a maxim that says on the offense always.”
Bostick asked whether the “Create Epic” message circulating inside Nike was real. Hill confirmed it and said it came from the innovation leadership team. “I love the irreverence of it. I like the attitude of it, I like the commitment around it,” he said. “And I keep telling this team… don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.”
He pointed to Nike Mind, a product that came out of the company’s sports research lab: “I just only wish we would have made more, but it’s selling out.”
Bostick noted that Wall Street analysts remain concerned about flat sales growth and profitability. Hill replied: “We’re confident that the sport offense is the path forward.” He said North America had returned to growth, the running business was back to double-digit growth, and the wholesale business was also growing again.
On inventory clean-up, Hill said: “I’m like you, I’m tired of talking about that. I’m more about the innovation.”
On retail partners, he said: “Ultimately when we’re driving growth and profitability for our retailers, that’s how we take market share.”
On China, Hill said Nike will “reposition the brand through the lens of sport. And it’s not just the product, but it’s the athletes and the stories we tell. Much more local.”
Hill said he would not sell Converse: “We’re committed to the Converse brand… It’s a separate and distinct consumer, and it offers us a separate and distinct opportunity from a revenue and profitability perspective.” Asked about a memo Bloomberg News had obtained that referred to layoffs at Converse, he said: “It’s unfortunate and I’m empathetic to some of those teammates. But yeah, we’re having to reposition some where we put our resources as we move forward.”
Asked what kind of company he wants to leave behind, Hill said: “Nike is like a relay race and we have a saying that at Nike there is no finish line.” He described the job as taking the baton “to run as hard and fast as you can,” and said that “when you hand the baton off, leave it better than you received it. And that’s my responsibility.”
Leadership lens (MAX ENERGY commentary):
In MAX ENERGY terms, Hill is trying to move a company out of Survivor Energy and into Life Energy. A company in Survivor Energy spends its attention on inventory clean-up, defending its classics and avoiding risk. A company in Life Energy spends it on curiosity, experimentation and meaning. Hill’s line “I’m tired of talking about that. I’m more about the innovation” captures the shift. “Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness” goes further: it tells teams that exploring is safe. The relay-race image gives a leader a test of his own: will I hand the baton on better than I received it? Hill himself said the turnaround is still under way, and analysts are still watching for results.
Source: Bloomberg Television, “Nike CEO on Turnaround Plan, ACG Relaunch, Converse,” 11 February 2026.
