Stanford Hires Former Nike CEO John Donahoe as Athletic Director

STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford University has appointed former Nike CEO John Donahoe as its new athletic director, effective September 8. The decision marks a significant change in the university’s approach to filling this role.

At 65 years old, Donahoe is a distinguished alumnus of Stanford, holding a degree in economics and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He brings extensive business experience, having served as CEO of Nike from January 2020 until October 2024, after which he continued as an advisor.

Donahoe’s hiring comes in the wake of Bernard Muir‘s resignation after 13 years in the position. Muir’s departure marked a pivotal moment for Stanford, particularly following the school’s transition to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after more than a century in the Pac-12.

School president Jon Levin praised Donahoe’s unique vision and strategic mindset as critical attributes for leading the athletic department into a new era. “Stanford occupies a unique place in the national athletics landscape,” Levin said in a statement. “John embodies these characteristics.”

Donahoe’s impressive resume includes previous roles as CEO at eBay and ServiceNow, as well as chair of the board at PayPal. He has also contributed significantly to Stanford’s advisory boards, ensuring his deep connection to the institution remains strong.

His appointment comes amid a challenging period for Stanford athletics, particularly for the football program, which has faced four consecutive 3-9 seasons. This has led to significant scrutiny and changes within the athletic operations, including the hiring of former NFL star Andrew Luck as the general manager.

“Stanford has enormous strengths and enormous potential in a changing environment,” Donahoe stated. “I look forward to working in partnership with the Stanford team to build momentum for Stanford Athletics.”

As he steps into the role, Donahoe aims to address the challenges faced by the football and basketball programs and uphold Stanford’s legacy of excellence in Olympic sports, where it has a distinguished history.