BEAVERTON, Ore., Mar 20, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) announced its plan today to reorganize its Nike Brand into a new model consisting of six geographies with reduced management layers and an increased focus on core category business areas, driving greater efficiencies and stronger consumer connections.

The plan has six new geographies: North America, Western Europe, Eastern/Central Europe, Greater China, Japan and Emerging Markets. The Nike Brand was previously organized by four regions: US, Asia Pacific, Americas and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

"This new model sharpens our consumer focus and will allow us to make faster decisions, with fewer management layers," said Charlie Denson, President of the Nike Brand.

The new global structure will be supported by the following leadership team: North America: Craig Cheek (former VP & GM of US region), Western Europe: Brent Scrimshaw (former VP of EMEA Brand Management), Eastern/Central Europe: Marc van Pappelendam (former Commercial Director in EMEA), Greater China: Willem Haitink (former GM of China), Japan: Jim Godbout (former GM of Japan) and Emerging Markets: Jayme Martin (former VP and GM of the Americas region). These positions will report directly to Gary DeStefano, President Global Operations. Roland Wolfram (former VP & GM of the Asia Pacific region) will assume the role of Head of Global Sales also reporting to Gary DeStefano.

As Nike stated on February 10^th, this organizational change is part of a wider company restructuring that may result in an overall reduction of up to 4% of the company's workforce. NIKE, Inc. employs nearly 35,000 worldwide. The company anticipates completing its overall review of its organization by the end of the current fiscal year. The exact number, timing and location of positions expected to be eliminated will not be known until the overall review is completed and the employee representative bodies have been consulted within accordance with local legal requirements.

Eunan McLaughlin, former Vice President and GM for the Nike EMEA region, will become the new President of the NIKE, Inc. Affiliate portfolio reporting directly to NIKE, Inc. President and CEO Mark Parker, subject to board approval. Lee Bird, the former President, who led the Affiliates for the last three years, has decided to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.

About NIKE, Inc.

NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit nikebiz.com.

SOURCE: NIKE, Inc.

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