Lululemon announced Wednesday that Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger will join the company as president and chief product officer, effective later this month.
The move marks the latest shake-up among top executives in the increasingly competitive athletics industry: Gauger joined Athleta from Nike only last year.
Lululemon said Gauger’s job was a newly created role. He also appointed Joseph Godsey as director of operations. Along with the new announcements, Lululemon also said that Nikki Neuburger, the company’s head of brand and product activation, and Ted Dagnese, head of supply chain, would leave in November to “pursue other opportunities.”
“We are building a highly experienced leadership team that will work in a more coordinated manner, aligned on the strategy and execution that will have the most impact for our customers, our communities and our business,” said Heidi O’Neill, CEO of Lululemon, in a statement. “It starts by putting product, design and innovation at the center of how we operate, with the goal and responsibility of creating a stronger pipeline of differentiated products to raise the bar for our customers at every touchpoint, in-store and online.”
In a statement provided to CNBC, Athleta’s parent company Gap confirmed that Gauger had left the company. Erika Everett, the brand’s current chief marketing officer, will oversee the role of interim brand CEO.
“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 allows us to accelerate this work, strengthen our connections with customers and unlock the full potential of Athleta.”
Separately, Lululemon said it is also looking for a chief brand officer, chief communications officer and chief technology officer.
O’Neill took the helm of Lululemon last month after the athletic company suffered more than a year of disappointing business performance amid a proxy battle, drawing criticism from founder Chip Wilson.
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