Nike said on Thursday that former senior executive Elliott Hill will rejoin the company to succeed John Donahoe as president and CEO, as the sportswear giant shakes up its leadership amid efforts to revive sales and battle rising competition.

Nike Inc. spent nearly $104 million on pay and benefits for John Donahoe during his near five-year tenure atop the sneaker-maker, before replacing the former Bain & Co. executive in a bid to revive the brand.

When Nike said on Thursday that John Donahoe was stepping down as chief executive officer, his exit from a rocky tenure offered a brutal reminder to corporate boards: Focus on what a company's core business is when looking for a new CEO.

Elliott Hill started at Nike as an intern in 1988 but steadily scaled its ranks, banking on values of grit and hard work ingrained in him as the son of a single mom in a working class Texas neighborhood.

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Nike Inc. has named Elliott Hill as its president and CEO effective, replacing John Donahoe, who will retire next month.