Nike has appointed David M. Denton as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective August 17, as the sportswear giant announces a transition in its finance leadership
Denton will succeed Matthew Friend, who will step down as Executive Vice President and CFO on the same date and remain with the company through September 4 to support an orderly transition. Friend will also participate in Nike’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call on June 30 as planned.
In his new role, Denton will lead Nike’s global finance organisation, working closely with President and CEO Elliott Hill and the senior leadership team on financial execution, capital allocation and long-term value creation.
Denton joins Nike from Pfizer, where he has served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President since May 2022. He brings more than three decades of finance and operational leadership experience across global public companies.
Before Pfizer, Denton was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Lowe’s Companies from 2018 to 2022, overseeing finance, strategy and enterprise functions while supporting the retailer’s transformation agenda. Earlier, he spent nearly 20 years at CVS Health, including as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, helping steer the company’s evolution into a diversified healthcare solutions business.
Beyond executive leadership, Denton has served on the boards of Tapestry (2014–2023) and Haleon (2023–2024). He is also expected to join the board of Honeywell Aerospace following its planned spin-off from Honeywell.
“Dave is a proven public-company CFO who knows how to help great consumer brands operate with discipline and invest to win,” said Elliott Hill, President and Chief Executive Officer, NIKE, Inc. “We’re focused on doing what Nike does best: serving athletes, leading with sport and building the most innovative products in the world. Dave’s experience, judgment, and operating rigor will help us execute against these priorities with consistency and build on the progress underway.”
“Nike is one of the world’s great brands, with extraordinary strengths in sport, innovation, and global scale,” said Denton. “I’m excited to partner with Elliott and the leadership team to support the company’s priorities, invest with discipline, and help deliver sustainable long-term value as Nike continues to lead with sport and serve athletes around the world.”
“This is a natural moment for a leadership transition as we move from foundational actions to sustained growth through our Sport Offense operating model,” added Hill. “I’d like to thank Matt for his many contributions to Nike over the years. He has dedicated a significant part of his career to this company and has been a valued colleague and partner to many across Nike. We are grateful for his service, appreciate his commitment to ensuring a seamless transition, and wish him all the best in his next chapter.”
