Global athletic footwear-and-apparel giant Nike Inc. is zeroing in on digital.
As the Beaverton, Ore.-based company continues its effort to reach a five-year, $50 billion revenue target, it has tapped former EA Mobile and Disney Interactive executive Adam Sussman to become its first chief digital officer.
In his new role, Sussman will lead the team responsible for the development of digital products and services across Nike.com, Nike+ and Brand Digital platforms. He will report directly to Nike Brand President Trevor Edwards
“Digital offers a fundamental transformation of our business, as we create an industry-leading digital ecosystem that flows through all that we do,” Edwards said in a release. “This is the leadership to which Nike is accustomed. Today’s announcement is a continuation of the Nike promise to develop deep and lasting relationships with consumers, to offer the best athletic service, period.”
Nike, which targets e-commerce growth to $7 billion by 2020, has focused much of its investments over the last several years in digital and mobile.
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“Driving the connection of nike.com to our broader digital strategy continues to be, without a doubt, one of our greatest opportunities as a company,” Nike President and CEO Mark Parker said during the company’s Q2 conference call. “Digital, of course, also allows us to deepen the relationships we already have with consumers, by tailoring every interaction to their specific needs. Through Nike+, we’ve created an ecosystem that gives athletes access to their fitness history, training programs and their favorite gear, every time they connect with Nike.”
In Q2, Parker noted that Nike added Canada, Switzerland and Norway to its growing list of e-commerce markets. In the current quarter, Parker said he would add Mexico, Turkey and Chile to the list, as global digital growth remains a priority for Nike.
“Adam’s wealth of experience in digital, consumer technology and strategy leadership makes him the perfect person to tackle tomorrow’s challenges today,” Edwards said. “Adam is just as passionate about solving a problem for one athlete as he is introducing that innovation to a global community. 2016 promises to be a big year for the world of Nike digital, and this is just the beginning.”
