I know things haven't been easy, new Nike CEO tells staff

Mr Elliott Hill, the newly named chief executive of Nike, acknowledged that things have been rough for the world's largest sportswear brand in his first message to staff on Sept 19.

"I know things haven't been easy, and we certainly have taken our fair share of shots," Mr Hill wrote in an e-mail to employees.

He said he plans to host an all-hands meeting on Oct 14, his first day back at the company he worked at for decades. He included a video message in his note.

Dressed in a black Nike-branded shirt, Mr Hill said that through his more than 30-year career with the company, he "learnt to always put the consumer at the centre of everything and every decision".