Nike’s CEO was battling retirement restlessness—a single phone call unexpectedly yanked him back to the office as chief executive

Portrait photo of Nike CEO Elliott Hill smiling in a black sweatshirt with the Nike logo. (Credit: Courtesy of Nike)

• Nike’s new CEO Elliott Hill worked his way up at the company for 30 years before retiring—but then one phone call turned his life upside down.

There are few people who have dedicated their careers to a company like Elliott Hill has at Nike. And after being in retirement for four short years, he’s picked up the call to be chief executive.