
John Donahoe
Former CEO of Nike whose direct-to-consumer strategy alienated retail partners and eroded market share.
First Mentioned
9/13/2026, 4:51:36 AM
Last Updated
9/13/2026, 5:03:20 AM
Research Retrieved
9/13/2026, 5:03:20 AM
Summary
John Donahoe, born April 30, 1960, is an American businessman currently serving as the athletic director of Stanford University, a role he assumed in September 2025. Previously, he was the CEO of Nike from January 2020 to October 2024. His career also includes a significant tenure at Bain & Company, where he rose to become president and CEO in 1999. Donahoe holds a chairmanship at PayPal and sits on the board of directors at The Bridgespan Group. He also served as president and CEO of the cloud company ServiceNow starting in February 2017 and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College from 2003 to 2012. Donahoe's leadership at Nike has been criticized for an aggressive direct-to-consumer strategy that reportedly alienated retail partners, leading to competitors gaining market share. This strategy, along with polarizing marketing choices, is seen by some as a departure from the brand's historical focus on "Mastery and Excellence."
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View on WikipediaJohn Donahoe
John Joseph Donahoe II (born April 30, 1960) is an American businessman who is the athletic director of Stanford University. He was the CEO of Nike from January 2020 to October 2024. Early in his career, he worked for Bain & Company, becoming the firm's president and CEO in 1999. He is on the board of directors at The Bridgespan Group and is chairman of PayPal. Donahoe was named president and CEO of ServiceNow, a cloud company, in February 2017. He was on the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College from 2003 to 2012. In July 2025, he was named athletic director at Stanford University, effective September 8.
Web Search Results
- John Donahoe - Wikipedia
John Joseph Donahoe II (born April 30, 1960) is an American businessman who is the athletic director of Stanford University. He was the CEO of Nike from January 2020 to October 2024. Early in his career, he worked for Bain & Company, becoming the firm's president and CEO in 1999. He is on the board of directors at The Bridgespan Group and is chairman of PayPal. Donahoe was named president and CEO of ServiceNow, a cloud company, in February 2017. He was on the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College from 2003 to 2012. In July 2025, he was named athletic director at Stanford University, effective September 8. ## Early life [edit] [...] American sports executive (born 1960) John Donahoe | Donahoe in 2019 | | Current position | | Title | Athletic director | | Team | Stanford | | Conference | ACC | | Biographical details | | Born | (1960-04-30) April 30, 1960 (age 66) Evanston, Illinois, US | | Education | Dartmouth College (BA) Stanford University (MBA) | [...] ## Early life [edit] John Donahoe was born in Evanston, Illinois on April 30, 1960. His father was an accountant at Price Waterhouse in Chicago. In 1978, he graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Dartmouth College, where he was a brother of Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity (formerly Kappa Sigma), followed by an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Donahoe is of Irish descent. ## Career [edit] See also: Bain & Company, eBay, PayPal, and ServiceNow After Donahoe's senior year of high school, a friend's father asked him to work at his Schlitz beer distribution company. "You'll make good money," he said. It was a union job and the first requirement was that he join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
- John Donahoe
Skip to secondary menu Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer Irish America Irish America Irish America Business 100 - 2008 ## John Donahoe John Donahoe is the president of eBay Marketplaces, and is responsible for all elements of eBay’s global ecommerce activities, including sites in 25 countries, Stubhub, Rent.com and eBay’s global portfolio of classified businesses. Donahoe was Worldwide Managing Director of Bain & Company, a global consulting firm, for 23 years prior to joining eBay. Before that he worked for the Rolm Corporation and Salomon Brothers, now a part of Citigroup Inc.
- John Donahoe — The Center for Conscientious Leadership
John_Donahoe_original.jpg #### Bio: John Donahoe is the Former President & CEO of NIKE, Inc. He led the continued growth of the Nike Brand as well as Nike's global business portfolio, which includes Jordan Brand and Converse Inc. Before joining Nike as CEO in January 2020, John had served on Nike’s Board of Directors since 2014. Previously, he was president and CEO for ServiceNow and eBay, and he continues to serve as Chairman of the Board at PayPal. Earlier in his career, he worked for Bain & Company for almost 20 years, becoming the firm’s CEO in 1999. A former basketball player and lifelong sports fan, John received an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. John Donahoe - Adversity and Resilience (2:44 min)
- John Donahoe | Keynote Speaker | AAE Speakers Bureau
John Donahoe is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Executive Leadership and Business Leadership. Please contact us for live or virtual event fee details. John Donahoe generally travels from San Jose, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Zack Kass, Dan Schulman and Terry Jones. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Donahoe for an upcoming event. ###### VIDEO ## John Donahoe Videos [...] ## John Donahoe Biography John Donahoe's diverse and multifaceted career began with leadership roles in prominent tech companies such as eBay and ServiceNow. He served as the president and CEO of eBay from March 31, 2008, to July 19, 2015, a tenure marked by strategic acquisitions such as Shopping.com and StubHub. After eBay, Donahoe took the helm at ServiceNow, a position he held from February 2017 onwards. Donahoe transitioned from tech to sportswear, becoming the CEO of Nike from January 13, 2020, to October 12, 2024. After Nike, Donahoe segued into academia, taking on the role of athletic director at Stanford University in September 2025. [...] Speaking fees for John Donahoe, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. For the most current speaking fee to hire John Donahoe, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. What topics does John Donahoe speak about? John Donahoe is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Executive Leadership, Business Leadership, Ethics & Integrity and Technology. Where does John Donahoe travel from?
- John Donahoe - Positive Coaching Alliance
Skip to footer Positive Coaching Alliance Access CoursesPartner Tools # John Donahoe ## Director of Athletics, Stanford University; Former CEO, Nike ### National Advisory Board John Donahoe is the former CEO of Nike. Early in his career he worked for Bain & Company, becoming the firm’s president and CEO in 1999. He is on the board of directors at Nike, The Bridgespan Group, and is chairman of PayPal. Donahoe was named president and CEO of ServiceNow, a cloud company, in February 2017. On January 13, 2020, Donahoe became president and CEO of Nike. Before joining eBay he worked for Bain & Company for 20 years, starting as an associate consultant and rising to become the firm’s president and CEO in 1999.
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4/30/1960Place Of Birth
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