The chief executive of one of Nike’s biggest retail partners expressed strong confidence in the sportswear giant’s leadership Thursday, even as the company continues to face market challenges.
Regis Schultz, who heads British athletic retailer JD Sports, praised Nike CEO Elliott Hill during a Thursday interview, stating Hill is “doing a great job” leading the company’s recovery efforts.
Hill rejoined Nike as chief executive in October 2024 after spending more than three decades with the company previously. He was brought back to address significant strategic problems that had damaged Nike’s relationships with retail partners.
Despite Hill’s leadership for the past 18 months, Nike continues to lose ground to competitors while Wall Street grows increasingly frustrated with the company’s inability to reduce excess inventory and create popular new sneaker designs.
Nike products represent approximately 45% of JD Sports’ total sales, making the retailer’s perspective particularly significant for the athletic wear manufacturer.
Schultz described JD Sports’ partnership with Nike as “fantastic” and emphasized that Hill simply requires more time to complete his turnaround strategy.
“Elliott Hill has done the right thing which is to change the culture, to come back to a culture of innovation of product, we feel good about what he’s doing,” Schultz told Reuters following JD Sports’ annual financial results announcement.
