John W. Rogers Jr. is leaving Nike's board after eight years and will stay on as a strategic advisor

John Rogers, Jr., a director of Nike since 2018, has decided to retire and will not stand for re-election to the Nike board of directors at the September 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Rogers' retirement will be effective following the annual meeting, after which he will serve as a strategic advisor to Nike focused on a variety of topics including the future of sport and social community impact.

The announcement, made June 18, closes an eight-year chapter in which Rogers brought his decades of financial expertise, civic leadership and deep community ties to the boardroom of one of the world's most recognized sports brands. He joined the board in 2018 as founder, chairman, chief executive and chief investment officer of Ariel Investments, the Chicago-based asset management firm he founded in 1983 with $10,000 of his own capital.

"On behalf of Nike, I'd like to thank John for his eight years of service to our Board. We are grateful for the support and guidance he provided during his tenure, and we are delighted he will remain as an advisor to the company," said Mark Parker, Executive Chairman of Nike.

Rogers's departure from Nike comes as he continues to hold director positions at McDonald's Corporation, The New York Times Company and Ryan Specialty, where he serves as lead director. Earlier this month, BA reported that he made a $263,700 open-market insider purchase of Ryan Specialty shares at $35.16 each, signaling continued conviction in a company he leads from the board.

"It has been an honor to serve on Nike's Board and play a part in the company's work to change lives through sport. I am proud of all that we have accomplished over the last eight years," Rogers said. "I look forward to continuing to support Nike in a new capacity helping the company's impact on and investment in sport, athletes, and communities around the world."

His work at Nike aligned with a broader professional philosophy he has maintained across four decades at Ariel. Rogers has been one of the most vocal advocates for diversity on corporate boards, for long-term patient investing in undervalued companies and for the role that business can play in strengthening communities that have historically been underserved by financial markets. The strategic advisor role preserves that influence at Nike beyond the formal directorship.

Rogers' retirement will lead to a reduction in the board's size to eleven directors. The move coincides with a demanding period for Nike. Nike's stock trades at $45.20, down 32% over the past six months. The company also announced plans to lay off approximately 1,400 employees, primarily in its technology department, as part of its "Win Now" turnaround strategy.

The company maintains a $66.7 billion market cap and has sustained dividend payments for 43 consecutive years. A quarterly cash dividend of $0.41 per share is payable on July 1, 2026.

Rogers's eight years on the board spanned Nike's transition through the pandemic, the departure of longtime CEO Mark Parker to executive chairman, the CEO tenures of John Donahoe and his successor, and the company's current effort to rebuild its direct-to-consumer business and restore its relationship with wholesale retail partners it had deprioritized. Through each of those shifts, Rogers provided continuity and commercial perspective rooted in his experience as one of America's most prominent long-term equity investors.

Ariel Investments manages more than $16 billion in assets and has built its reputation on the same patient, value-oriented philosophy Rogers has carried into every boardroom he has occupied.