All the latest Nike organization changes as the company shakes up its technology, diversity, Asia, and women’s departments

• Nike last week announced leaders of several critical business departments.
• The announcements included one departure and the elevation of two female executives.

Over the past few weeks, Nike announced a string of executive changes, including two resignations and new heads of its women's, Asia, diversity, and technology efforts.

The announcements come as the company enters the final stretch of its fiscal year, which ends May 31, and as it adjusts to rapid changes in consumer behavior and works to meet diversity and "digital transformation" goals.

The announcements included the elevation of two female executives. In recent years, Nike has been criticized for a lack of women in management, including in a sweeping lawsuit. Nike's worked to address the problem through a series of HR and compensation changes. In its most recent corporate responsibility report, Nike said 43% of its executives, defined as vice president or higher, are women, up from 39% a year ago and on track to hit a 45% goal by 2025.

Nike also remains focused on a business plan called the Consumer Direct Acceleration or CDA, which prioritizes direct and digital sales.

"These changes will further build on our strengths and underscore our commitment to accelerate our women's business, invest in our geographies, and further grow our top talent," Heidi O'Neill, Nike's president of consumer and marketplace, said in a press release announcing three of the changes. "We remain committed to transforming Nike faster to define the marketplace of the future and unlock the next phase of growth through CDA."

Here's a rundown of the changes:

Ratnakar Lavu

New job: Lavu resigned from Nike in late February.

Old job: Global chief digital information officer

Lavu, who joined Nike in mid-2019, resigned suddenly in late February. In an internal email announcing his departure and a subsequent meeting with technology employees, the company didn't give a reason for his exit.

Nike is in the middle of a sweeping "digital transformation." Lavu was central to that work. But his tenure also coincided with blistering criticisms from technology employees, including widespread job dissatisfaction, according to a leaked employee survey.

Nike and Lavu have not commented on the reasons for Lavu's abrupt exit.

Amy Montagne

New job: Vice president and general manager of Nike's women's business

Old job: Vice president and general manager of Asia and Latin America

Montagne is an 18-year Nike veteran who previously worked for nine years for the Gap. In 2022, Footwear News profiled Montagne, noting Nike's recent success in Asia.

Cathy Sparks

New job: Vice president and general manager of Asia and Latin America (She succeeds Montagne.)

Old job: Vice president of Nike Direct in Europe, Middle East, and Africa

Sparks joined Nike in 1996 as a visual merchandiser in the company's Portland store, according to her LinkedIn profile. She has worked in a number of retail roles and became a vice president in 2011. In her most recent role, she focused on digital and direct sales.

She has "deep experience in marketplace transformation and consumer-led growth through brand, product, and experiences," Nike said in a press release.

Whitney Malkiel

New job: Malkiel decided to leave the company, Nike said in a press release in early March.

Old job: Vice president and general manager of Nike's women's business (Montagne's new job)

Malkiel also was among the six female Nike executives profiled last year by Footwear News. The publication described the group as the "women at the center of the company's transformation."

"Whitney played a significant role in leading our women's business over the last three years and in her more than 20 years at Nike," O'Neill said in the news release.

James Loduca

New job: Chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer

Old job: Vice president of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, Twitter

Nike internally announced Loduca's appointment on Tuesday. He succeeded Jarvis Sam, who left Nike in November. Loduca is the company's fourth head of diversity since 2020.

Diversity and inclusion remain top priorities for Nike. Six months after becoming CEO in January 2020, John Donahoe wrote to employees that the company must "get our own house in order" in regards to equity and inclusion. Donahoe's message came two years after a string of critical reports about an alleged "boys' club" culture" at the company. Nike's taken a string of actions to address the problems.

"Excited to be joining Nike as its new Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer!," Loduca wrote on his LinkedIn page. "In an increasingly polarized time, sport is one of the few things that still brings us together. Nike believes that if you have a body, you are an athlete– and I'm thrilled to be joining the team and help lead efforts to create a level playing field where everyone can win."

Deepak Arora

New job responsibilities: Interim co-head for global technology, alongside Ryan Fusselman, leading the company's ongoing "digital transformation"

Current job: VP of commerce engineering

In an internal email sent earlier this month, Nike announced that Arora, a nearly five-year company veteran, would serve as one of two co-heads of global technology. His appointment was announced roughly two weeks after the sudden resignation of Ratnakar Lavu. Arora remains in his current position, which he describes on his LinkedIn page as working with the company's chief marketing officer and co-leading Nike's digital marketing transformation.

Ryan Fusselman

New job responsibilities: Interim co-head for global technology, alongside Deepak Arora, leading the company's ongoing "digital transformation"

Current job: Chief information security officer

Fusselman, a 10-year Nike veteran, joins Arora as an interim co-head for global technology, according to an internal email announcing his appointment viewed by Insider. Fusselman previously worked as a vice president of information security engineering for Mastercard, according to his LinkedIn profile.