Nike names Lucy Rouse head of SNKRS

Nike has appointed Lucy Rouse to be its new SNKRS vice president and general manager, as the U.S. sportswear giant rejigs the leadership of its innovative sneaker app.

According to an internal Nike memo obtained by Complex, Rouse will take on the title VP/GM of NBHD (an acronym for Nike’s prestige “neighborhood” sneaker boutique partners), SNKRS Launch, and S23NYC (the New York studio where the SNKRS team is based). She will assume the role on April 4.

Nike is yet to respond to a request for comment on the news.

Rouse replaces Ron Faris after it was announced late January the executive would be assuming the role of VP/GM of the Nike Virtual Studios, a new division for the company that supports its latest push into the metaverse.

Rouse has been at Nike for over 16 years, starting with the brand as an account executive in Australia in 2005. She most recently led Nike’s women’s business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and its sportswear business in the same regions before that. The email announcing her as the head of SNKRS says that she’ll start in that role on April 4.

Starting out as an account executive for Nike in 2005, Rouse has been at Nike for over 16 years. She went on to helm Nike's sportswear business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, before leading its women’s business in the same region, according to her LinkedIn profile.

The appointment reshuffle comes after the Portland, Oregon-based company acquired RTFKT, a virtual sneaker design company and a studio for (NFTs, in December last year.

A month prior, Nike also teamed up with online gaming platform Roblox, to create a virtual world, 'NikeLand', allowing users to dress virtual characters in digital Nike gear.

Nike names Lucy Rouse head of SNKRS

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