Throughout his career, Greg was a major strategic and creative influence for Nike at every major global sporting event, for the launches of Nike’s signature products and innovations, and for building the brands of its athletes. His leadership helped Nike drive themes of equality, sustainability, and empowerment through sport in some of its most significant brand communications. This work was partly driven by his role on the Advisory Board of the Nike Black Employee Network and as a member of the Nike Foundation Board of Directors.
Greg Hoffman is a global branding expert, former Chief Marketing Officer of NIKE, and founder of the brand leadership platform Modern Arena. He shared his decades of brand-building experience in his best-selling book Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike, published in 14 languages.
Over 27 years at NIKE, Greg held leadership roles across marketing, design, and innovation. He was a key creative force behind the brand’s presence at every major global sporting event, the launches of its signature innovations, and the storytelling that helped build the global brands of the athletes Nike partnered with.
Greg oversaw NIKE’s brand communications and experiences as the company was solidifying its position as one of the preeminent brand storytellers of the modern era and a leading innovator in both digital and physical brand experiences. His impact on the rise of marketing and design was recognized when Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business. He has also been celebrated for his transformative leadership in the industry through Business Insider’s 50 Most Innovative CMOs and Ad Age’s Power Players lists.
Through his leadership, Greg helped Nike champion themes of empowerment through sport for all athletes, shaping some of the brand’s most impactful communications. This work was also informed by his service on the Advisory Board of the Nike Black Employee Network and as a member of the Nike Foundation Board of Directors.
Today, through Modern Arena, Greg advises Fortune 500 brands, startups, and nonprofits on building brand strength, business growth, and cultural influence. As an international keynote speaker, he shares insights with companies like Apple, Google, Netflix, LEGO, and Target on forging deeper emotional bonds between brands and their audiences – through creative storytelling and immersive brand experiences.
He also serves as an adjunct professor of Branding and Marketing at the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Management program and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Meet your coach
Greg Hoffman is a global brand leader, former Chief Marketing Officer at Nike, and the founder of the brand advisory group Modern Arena. Over a 27-year tenure at Nike, Greg held various marketing, design, and innovation leadership roles, including serving as the brand’s CMO. In his most recent position as Nike’s Vice President of Global Brand Innovation, he led teams responsible for envisioning the future of storytelling and consumer experiences for the brand.
Greg oversaw Nike’s brand communications and experiences during a period when the company solidified its position as a preeminent brand storyteller and a leading innovator in digital and physical brand experiences. His contributions were recognized in 2015 when Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business. He has also been acknowledged for his transformative leadership in the industry through Business Insider’s 50 Most Innovative CMOs and AdAge’s Power Players annual lists.
Throughout his career, Greg was a major strategic and creative influence for Nike at every major global sporting event, for the launches of Nike’s signature products and innovations, and for building the brands of its athletes. His leadership helped Nike drive themes of equality, sustainability, and empowerment through sport in some of its most significant brand communications. This work was partly driven by his role on the Advisory Board of the Nike Black Employee Network and as a member of the Nike Foundation Board of Directors.
Today, as the founder and principal of Modern Arena, Greg advises Fortune 1000 brands, startups, and nonprofits on creating brand strength, business growth, and social impact. He serves on the advisory boards of brands like Shred Adventures and AO-Air and is a board member for Summit Impact, the philanthropic arm of Summit Series.
In addition, Greg is a Branding instructor at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business and the Innovation Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In 2022, he shared his extensive brand experience with the world through his book Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons From a Life at Nike.
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