Stanford has hired former Nike CEO John Donahoe as its new athletic director, marking a shift from a more traditional hire to one with extensive business experience rather than just a typical sports administration background.

Stanford late Thursday named former Nike CEO John Donahoe its next athletic director, a seemingly unlikely hire, but one the university said is a perfect fit given the ongoing turmoil in college sports. The move also further cements the university’s ties with Nike co-founder Phil Knight, a Stanford alumnus and a major donor.

Former Nike CEO John Donahoe will take over as the athletic director at Stanford, where he earned his graduate degree.

John Donahoe will become Stanford’s eighth athletic director and replace Bernard Muir, who stepped down this year

Gap Inc, which also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic, said on Tuesday that it was replacing Athleta CEO Chris Blakeslee, tapping Maggie Gauger, a 20-year veteran of Nike, to try her hand at re-invigorating a brand that had once been seen as a key motor for Gap Inc’s growth despite being smaller than its sister brands.

Former Nike and eBay CEO John Donahoe has been named as Stanford's athletic director after school officials viewed him as a "unicorn candidate" because of his business ties and history at the school.

Stanford University has hired a new athletic director, tapping school alum and former Nike CEO John Donahoe for the high-profile role, the university announced on Thursday, Aug. 1. In his new role, which he will begin on Sept.

Nearly a year after leaving the top job at Nike, former Swoosh chief executive officer John Donahoe has joined Stanford University as the next athletic director. He will begin at Stanford on Sept. 8. Jon Levin, president of Stanford University, said in a statement that the university needed a “distinctive leader” to fill this role.

Stanford's new athletic director has taken quite a unique path to his job. The school announced the hiring of former Nike CEO John Donahoe as its next athletic director Thursday.

Nike co-founder and fellow Stanford alum Phil Knight said in a statement that “Stanford has made an excellent choice for its new athletic director in John Donahoe.” Nike's embrace of digital tech, AI evolves Nike's highest-paid employee?