It's a tough time in retail — and CEO heads keep rolling

• Nike is the latest retailer to change its CEO.
• More retail bosses have walked the plank post-pandemic, with boards demanding better performance.
• Being CEO of a retail company is not an easy job right now.

John Donahoe is the latest retail CEO to hit the chopping block.

The Nike boss is stepping down next month and is set to be replaced by Elliott Hill, who started at the company in 1988 as an intern and worked his way up the ranks before retiring in 2020.

Analysts say Donahoe's departure was somewhat inevitable after Nike's long period of decline and underperformance.

"Under his tenure, Nike made a number of mistakes which have weakened the brand — a shakeup was required to try and draw a line under a period of very bad performance and to demonstrate that serious changes are underway," Neil Saunders, the managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in a note on Thursday.

Investors are already signaling confidence in the new hire and change of direction, with shares up in premarket trading.

Though, as Saunders pointed out, sending a signal to the market is one thing, but convincing consumers is another. "A change of jockey does not automatically put the Nike horse out in front," he said.

While Donahoe has been criticized for lack of product innovation and uninspiring marketing — two key elements that have been at the heart of Nike's success — being a retail boss is pretty tough in general right now.

Belt-tightening

The era of post-pandemic indulgent spending is over.

According to the Census Bureau, retail sales rose by just 0.1% in August, slowing from a 1.1% increase in July as some shoppers became more cost-conscious and selective with their purchases.

This is creating a more challenging environment for retailers. Some chains, including Walmart and Target, have started cutting prices to offer more value to consumers.

Others are finding creative ways to get more customers through the door.

Retail CEOs are tasked with navigating these choppy and unpredictable waters. And increasingly, boards seem to be rethinking whether their head honchos are up to the job.

The past year or so has seen an exodus of CEOs from companies such as Gap, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Adidas. According to data from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, CEO turnover in retail more than doubled in 2023 and was at the highest level since 2019.

Experts say this unusual amount of turnover is closely connected to the pandemic, which upended retail. Shoppers stayed at home and out of stores, online shopping soared, supply chains fell into chaos, and stimulus checks boosted demand, which made it almost impossible to gauge a business' performance.

But as restrictions eased and the protective shield of the pandemic lifted, CEOs became more vulnerable as boards questioned whether these were the right people to lead these businesses into the next stage.

Watch out, CEOs

This pattern has continued in 2024.

Last month, Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan stepped down after about 17 months in the role. His tenure was tainted by public criticism from longtime CEO Howard Schultz, falling sales, and pressure from activist investors.

That same month, Nestlé's CEO was ousted after eight years in the job. One insider told Reuters that the board had become concerned about sales growth and slowing product development.

"There is a fresh lack of patience at the board level," Jim Rossman, the global head of shareholder advisory at Barclays, told the news agency.

"With the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and some stronger economic data, there is plenty to judge a CEO's management abilities by and if they aren't performing they are out," he added.