Nike appointed Larry Miller as VP and general manager of Basketball and Peter Ruppe as VP and general manager of Men's Training and Fitness. Miller and Ruppe will be responsible for developing and executing integrated global growth strategies for their respective categories.
The appointments fill two of five new global category management positions announced in August. The five positions report to Trevor Edwards, Vice President of Global Brand and Category Management, who reports to Denson. Nike is evolving from a product-driven business model to a consumer-focused model aligned with the brand's biggest growth opportunities in core geographic and consumer category segments. The company expects to announce soon the heads of the other categories-football (soccer), running and women's fitness.
“Larry and Peter are two experienced Nike leaders who understand how to build premium businesses through creating compelling product and strong consumer connections,” Denson said. “Larry and Peter have exceptional track records in growing Brand Jordan and Nike's equipment businesses, respectively. Their experience will provide strong leadership as Nike drives global category growth in basketball and men's training and fitness.”
As president of Brand Jordan since 1999, Miller has led Jordan through a period of strong growth as it expanded product offerings, including women's apparel, added to its portfolio of Team Jordan athletes and celebrated the 20th anniversary of Air Jordan. Brand Jordan grew revenues 40% in fiscal 2006.
In his new role, Miller will be responsible for all aspects of Nike's global basketball business, including Brand Jordan.
Ruppe also brings to his new role deep Nike experience across all product engines. With Nike since 1981, Ruppe has led the company's equipment business for the past six years, driving 82% growth in global revenues through improved product offerings and stronger consumer connections. He most recently helped lead the product and technology development of the company's Nike+ category and partnership with Apple.
