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Stanford is hiring former Nike CEO John Donahoe as its new athletic director, according to ESPN. The move marks a shift from traditional athletic director hires, as Stanford sought a candidate with extensive business experience rather than just a typical sports administration background.
Donahoe, a 65-year-old Stanford alumnus, brings a unique blend of business leadership and a deep connection to the university. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in economics, later earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and twice held a position on the business school’s advisory board. His professional career includes serving as CEO of Nike from for nearly five years. He came on to lead the global sportswear giant in January 2020 before stepping away from his role in October 2024 and staying on as an advisor until January of this year.
Before Nike, Donahoe was president and later the CEO of eBay, the board chair of PayPal and a longtime partner at Bain & Company, a top management consulting firm. He also was a member of Dartmouth’s board of trustees from 2003-12.
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Austin Nivison
Donahoe is filling the vacancy left by Bernard Muir, who resigned at the end of the recent academic year after 13 years on the job. He announced his…
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