Nike, struggling from rising competition and its own strategy mistakes, is making a major shakeup. The athletic giant announced Thursday that CEO John Donahoe will retire next month and will be replaced by Elliott Hill, a veteran former Nike executive.

Elliott Hill started at Nike as an intern in 1988 but steadily scaled its ranks, banking on values of grit and hard work ingrained in him as the son of a single mom in a working class Texas neighborhood.

With Nike's new incoming CEO Elliott Hill, Nike needs to re-focus on innovation and selling great stories around its shoes, an analyst told BI.

The company looks to shake things up as demand for its trainers falters in international markets.

Nike on Thursday announced it would replace CEO John Donahoe with his former colleague, Elliott Hill, sending the stock soaring on the news. Hill, 60, is returning to Nike four years after retiring from the sneaker giant.

Nike says Elliott Hill will replace John Donahoe as CEO in October. Nike has struggled to turn around its business over the last year.

Nike announced plans to toss out its president and CEO John Donahoe, as demand falters for the brand's sneakers.He'll be replaced by former senior executive Elliott Hill, who will take over next month.

Nike’s beleaguered stock was rising sharply after the company announced that its CEO would retire.The athletic shoe and apparel maker has been hurt in recent years from a slowdown in China and competition from upstarts like Deckers Outdoor’s Hoka brand and On Holding.