By Juveria Tabassum, Nicholas P. Brown

(Reuters) -Nike said on Thursday that former senior executive Elliott Hill will rejoin the company to succeed John Donahoe as president and CEO, as the sportswear giant shakes up its leadership amid efforts to revive sales and battle rising competition.

The company's shares rose 8% in after-hours trading.

Hill was at Nike for 32 years and held senior leadership positions across Europe and North America where he helped expand the business to more than $39 billion, the company said.

He was previously Nike's president, consumer marketplace, leading all commercial and market operations for the Nike and Jordan brands before retiring in 2020.

Nike said in a regulatory filing that Hill's compensation as president and CEO will include an annual base salary of $1.5 million. He will take over as CEO on Oct. 14.

Analysts cheered the move. The CEO change "gives a positive signal because it is someone that knows the brand and knows the company very well," said Jessica Ramirez of Jane Hali & Associates.

Donahoe was tasked with bolstering Nike's online presence and driving sales through direct-to-consumer channels.

The push initially helped the company build on the demand for athletic and leisurewear following the pandemic, resulting in Nike exceeding $50 billion in annual sales in fiscal 2023 for the first time.

However, sales have since come under pressure and growth has slowed, according to estimates compiled by LSEG. Nike's annual sales are expected to fall to $48.84 billion for fiscal 2025 as inflation-weary customers cut back on discretionary spending and China's market rebounds more slowly than expected.

A lack of innovative and appealing products has also recently tripped demand for Nike. Rival brands including Roger Federer-backed On and Deckers' Hoka are attracting shoppers and retail partners with sneakers considered more fashionable and trendy.

Expectations for a change at the top were heightened after billionaire investor William Ackman disclosed a stake in Nike. His Pershing Square Capital Management has continued to buy and now owns 16.3 million shares in Nike, a person familiar with the position said. Ackman was not immediately reachable for comment.

A person familiar with Ackman's thinking said that Hill would have been his top choice to replace Donahoe. Ackman, who announced his Nike stake via a public filing, had not been in touch with the company.

Recently the corporate boards of at least two other consumer and retail companies have moved to toss top executives before activist investors told them to act.