Top UK Nike marketer quits to go it alone

Nike UK marketing director Rod Connors has left the company to set-up his own marketing consultancy. The US sportswear giant has yet to find a replacement.

It is understood that Connors, who joined the company in October 1999, has been keen to set up on his own for some time. He has been responsible for developing marketing and advertising for the UK, which is Nike’s second-largest market.

He also oversaw the £10m UK launch of the Shox range, a technically advanced sports shoe, in 2001. A through-the-line campaign was developed for the launch by Nike’s global creative agency, Wieden & Kennedy.

Connors joined Nike from Adidas, where he was head of consumer marketing in the UK and Ireland for less than a year before being poached. Prior to that, he was a global marketing manager at Lever Fabergé.

Nike is the biggest brand in the global sportswear market, with sales of £6bn last year. It is also the world’s number one footwear brand and recently reinforced that position with the acquisition of retro trainer brand Converse.