Philip Hampson Knight, is an American business magnate and philanthropist. A native of Oregon, he is the co-founder and current chairman emeritus of Nike, Inc., and previously served as chairman and CEO of the company. As of October 2019, Knight was ranked by Forbes as the 21st richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$37.6 billion. He is also the owner of the stop motion film production company Laika. Knight is a graduate of the University of Oregon and Stanford Graduate School of Business. He ran track under coach Bill Bowerman at the University of Oregon, with whom he would co-found Nike. A noted philanthropist, Knight has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to each of his alma maters, as well as Oregon Health & Science University. In total, he has donated over $2 billion to the three institutions.
Born: | Philip Hampson Knight, February 24, 1938, Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
Citizenship: | American |
Alma mater: | University of Oregon, Stanford University |
Occupation: | Chairman emeritus, Nike, Inc. |
Net worth: | US$38.9 billion (May 2020) |
Spouse(s): | Penelope "Penny" Knight |
Children: | 3, including Travis Knight |
Parent(s): | William W. Knight, Lota Hatfield Knight |
About Phil Knight
Multibillionaire who co-founded the famous shoe company Nike. He served as chairman and CEO of the company until he stepped down in 2015.
Before Fame
His father owned the Oregon Journal, but refused to give him a job there. He went on to work at The Oregonian, his father's competitor.
Achievement
In 1984, his company created the Air Jordan, a shoe specifically designed for superstar Michael Jordan, which went on to become one of the most popular shoe brands in the world.
Family Life
He fathered three children with his wife Penny.
Associations
He co-founded Nike with Bill Bowerman, who was his track coach at the University of Oregon.
Information related to Phil Knight
- Cleveland High School (Portland, Oregon) alumni
- Nike, Inc. people
- Philanthropists from Oregon
- Retail company founders
- American chief executives of fashion industry companies
- Businesspeople from Portland, Oregon
- American chief executives of manufacturing companies
- University of Oregon alumni