Nike Names New Chief Innovation Officer

For the second time in less than a year, Nike (Beaverton, Ore.) has a new Chief Innovation Officer, report a variety of news sources, including The Oregonian. Now holding that post is 20-year company veteran Andy Caine; he replaces 30-year veteran Tony Bignell, who took that title in June 2025 and now is leaving the company to pursue creative and philanthropic endeavors.

That announcement, which was made in an e-mail to Nike employees from Chief Innovation, Design & Product Officer Phil McCartney, comes as the footwear giant preps for a pivotal investor day and product showcase this fall. Caine will play a key role in that work, The Oregonian reported.

“As we look ahead, we’re confident Andy is the right person to lead this next chapter of Nike innovation, and we’re excited for what we’ll accomplish under his leadership,” McCartney wrote in his message.

Caine has worked on several high-profile Nike products, including the Mercurial, Air VaporMax, Air Liquid Max and Air Max 1000.

“What stands out is not just the breadth of his experience, but what it reveals about how he does the work: through the athlete, through the product and with a clear sense of where sport is going,” McCartney wrote.

In his three decades at Nike, Bignell worked worked on numerous Nike franchises, including Shox, NEXT%, VaporMax, React and Joyride. He also worked on Breaking2, Nike’s effort to break the two-hour barrier in the marathon. “This note cannot fully do justice to Tony’s legacy, and there will be other moments to recognize that more fully,” McCartney wrote.

Earlier this month Nike reported earnings that disappointed investors, sending its shares down sharply. But the company also announced a fall investor day – its first such event since 2017 – which will serve an opportunity to convince Wall Street stock analysts that the business is heading in the right direction, including the unveiling of the next generation of Nike products, The Oregonian reported.