Jeanine Hayes

Jeanine Hayes is currently VP, Innovation Labs at NIKE Inc., where she leads sustainable innovation and is the GM of Nike Ease, a new business initiative centered on creating and bringing to market innovative products that serve athletes and consumers of all abilities.

Jeanine’s career in IP, Innovation, and business has spanned more than 2 decades, from a national law firm to companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 100, and across multiple industries.

For more than 6 years, Jeanine served as Nike’s Chief IP Officer where she designed and led the company’s strategy and global programs for its full suite of corporate IP assets. Responsible for protection and enforcement of Nike’s innovations and world-famous brands (including Jordan and Converse), Jeanine oversaw dozens of litigations, partnerships, and brand campaigns against the backdrop of high-profile marketing and global sporting events. She managed IP matters and policy on the world’s largest stages, including both the US and China’s Supreme Court. During her tenure, Jeanine was tapped by the CEO to create and lead Nike’s first branded, open innovation program, the Nike Ease Challenge, calling on a broader community to help advance footwear solutions with easier entry/exit and closure systems.

Prior to Nike, Ms. Hayes spent a decade in the technology and Internet industry, holding senior positions with paid search pioneer, Overture Services (f/k/a Goto.com), and Yahoo! Inc. As Deputy General Counsel for Yahoo!, Jeanine was responsible for all aspects of its global IP programs, including IP capture, litigation, and transactions and licensing. She served as part of the company’s M&A deal teams, including Yahoo’s JV partnership with Alibaba. Ms. Hayes came to Yahoo! through its acquisition of Overture Services, where she held multiple roles of expanding responsibility to General Counsel, and was central in helping develop and license one of the Internet’s most valuable IP portfolios related to search.

Jeanine holds an Engineering degree in Optics from the University of Rochester and currently serves on its Advisory Council. She’s a member of Zappos Adaptive Advisory Board and is an active mentor to professional women across multiple industries.