Lululemon poaches Athleta CEO as new chief product officer

Lululemon announced Wednesday that Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger is joining the company as its chief product officer, a newly created role.

Skip NavigationJoin ICJoin ProLivestreamMenu

  • Lululemon announced Wednesday that Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger has is joining the company as its chief product officer, a newly created role.
  • The announcement comes just a month after Heidi O’Neill took over the company as CEO.
  • Athleta owner Gap told CNBC in a statement that the leadership transition will allow it to accelerate its work in repositioning the brand for growth.

Shoppers enter a Lululemon store in Walnut Creek, California, July 15, 2026.David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Lululemon announced Wednesday that Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger is joining the company as president and chief product officer, effective later this month.

The move marks the latest shake-up among the top executives in the increasingly competitive athleisure space: Gauger joined Athleta from Nike only last year.

Lululemon said Gauger’s job is a newly created role. It also appointed Joseph Godsey as chief operating officer. Alongside the new announcements, Lululemon also said Nikki Neuburger, the company’s chief brand and product activation officer, and Ted Dagnese, its chief supply chain officer, are leaving in November to “pursue other opportunities.”

“We are establishing a deeply experienced leadership team that will work in a more coordinated manner, aligned around the strategy and execution that delivers the most impact for our guests, our communities, and our business,” Lululemon CEO Heidi O’Neill said in a statement. “That starts with putting product, design, and innovation at the center of how we operate, with the focus and accountability to create a stronger pipeline of differentiated product to raise the bar for our guests across every touchpoint, in stores and online.”

In a statement provided to CNBC, Athleta parent company Gap confirmed Gauger has left the company. It said Erika Everett, the brand’s current chief marketing officer, will oversee the brand CEO role in the interim.

“We have been actively shaping Athleta’s next chapter and the changes needed to position the brand for long-term growth,” Gap said in its statement. “This transition enables us to accelerate that work, strengthen our connection with customers, and unlock Athleta’s full potential.”

Separately, Lululemon said it is also searching for a chief brand officer, a chief communications officer and a chief technology officer.

O’Neill took the helm of Lululemon last month after the athleisure company saw more than a year of disappointing sales performance in the midst of a proxy battle, drawing criticism from founder Chip Wilson.

Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About the Author

Easy WordPress Websites Builder: Versatile Demos for Blogs, News, eCommerce and More – One-Click Import, No Coding! 1000+ Ready-made Templates for Stunning Newspaper, Magazine, Blog, and Publishing Websites.

BlockSpare — News, Magazine and Blog Addons for (Gutenberg) Block Editor

Search the Archives

Access over the years of investigative journalism and breaking reports