Nike Taps Amazon Fashion Exec As Next CTO: Report
Nike has named Muge Erdirik Dogan, a longtime leader in Amazon’s fashion division, to take up the role of its new chief technology officer, according to a Bloomberg report.
In an internal email reportedly reviewed by Bloomberg, Nike CEO John Donahoe points to Dogan's deep understanding of how tech can accelerate innovation and efficiency and drive growth.
(Editor's note: Nike released a statement confirming Dogan's appointment after this story was published.)
Dogan has been with Amazon for sixteen years, according to LinkedIn, holding various roles across consumer and delivery operations before taking up the role of Amazon Fashion president in 2021.
Dogan’s departure from Amazon was effective immediately and accompanies the news that longtime company veteran Jenny Freshwater would take over Dogan’s role as vice president of fashion and fitness. Freshwater was most recently vice president of traffic and marketing technology at Amazon.
The retail giant is currently finalizing the closure of its two Amazon Style brick-and-mortar clothing stores in California and Ohio. Last week, the company announced a strategic shift towards bolstering its e-commerce fashion business instead.
Dogan will join Nike at a time of accelerating investment in the company's digital and IT capabilities. In a recent earnings call with investors, CEO John Donahoe said the company is “confident” and ready to “kick it into a new gear,” as a response to recent intensifying digital approaches that “fuel engagement with our brands and deepen direct consumer connections around the world.”
A substantial portion of Nike's sales takes root online, according to Matt Friend, Nike CFO, making robust IT infrastructures and visionary tech leadership all the more important. “We are seeing consumers spending more time in brick-and-mortar locations, but 90% of their shopping journeys are starting with digital,” Friend shared on the call.
