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, an executive who left the company after Donahoe’s appointment in 2020, will return as chief executive, Nike’s board said.

Nike CEO John Donahoe is retiring from his position and longtime company veteran Elliott Hill is returning to take the top job. Donahoe is slated to step down on Oct. 13 but will remain on as an adivsor through the end of January.