Canada’s Lululemon Athletica (LULU) has hired Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger to be its new president and chief product officer.
Athleta is the women’s athletic apparel brand owned by the Gap (GAP) clothing store chain and a competitor of Vancouver-based Lululemon, which is known for its yoga pants.
The hiring of Gauger is the first major outside hire made by Lululemon’s new CEO Heidi O’Neill, who took the helm of the company in September of this year.
Gauger joined Athleta from Nike (NKE) in 2025 and had been with the brand for only about a year. O’Neill also previously worked at Nike.
Lululemon said Gauger’s job as chief product officer is a newly created role at the company.
In addition to Gauger’s hiring, Lululemon appointed Joseph Godsey as its chief operating officer (COO). He joins from Walmart Canada (WMT).
Nikki Neuburger, Lululemon’s chief brand officer, and Ted Dagnese, its chief supply chain officer, are leaving the company in November to “pursue other opportunities,” said the company.
Athleta’s parent company Gap confirmed that Gauger has left the company. It said Erika Everett, the brand’s chief marketing officer, will serve as Athleta CEO on an interim basis.
Lululemon said it is currently searching for a chief brand officer, a chief communications officer, and a chief technology officer (CTO).
O’Neill takes over Lululemon with a mandate to execute a turnaround strategy after years of poor sales and a proxy battle with company founder Chip Wilson.
LULU stock has declined 56% this year to trade at $91.88 U.S. per share. Over the past five years, the share price has fallen 77%.
