Big C-suite shakeup at Lululemon under new CEO; Walmart, Nike vets join team
Lululemon Athletica Inc. has overhauled its senior leadership team and added two new roles under the direction of new CEO Heidi O’Neill.
O’Neill a 27-year Nike veteran who took the reins of the athleisure company in September, has restructured her team as she aims to revive the sagging brand amid disappointing growth. The changes include the appointment of Maggie Gauger to the newly created role of Lululemon president and chief product officer.
Gauger joins the company from Gap Inc.’s Athleta, where she has served as CEO and president since July 2025. Previously, she spent 20 years at Nike.
In another new role, Joseph Godsey was named COO. He joins the company from Walmart Canada, where he most recently served as chief growth officer. Previously, he served as chief supply chain officer of Sam's Club, (More information on the two new roles, both are which are effective Oct. 26) is at end of article.)
With the changes, Nikki Neuburger, chief brand & product activation officer, and Ted Dagnese, chief supply chain officer, will leave the company. Both leaders will depart on November 6, and help ensure a smooth transition.
The company noted that searches are underway for a chief brand officer, chief communications officer and chief technology officer.
READ MORE: Lululemon chief AI & technology officer departs
Meghan Frank will continue to serve as CFO and take on expanded responsibilities to provide leadership continuity across the business during the leadership transition. She will have interim oversight of the global brand and technology functions until a chief brand officer and a new chief technology officer are in place.
Lululemon’s second-quarter sales fell 4% to $2.4 billion. Comparable sales in the Americas were down 12%, with a 3% decline internationally. Profits fell 11.2% to $329.2 million.
““Lululemon is a rare, extraordinary brand, but we have work to do to build a stronger and more competitive company,” O’Neill stated. “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. “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.”
Maggie Gauger — president & chief product officer
The newly created role will bring together design, merchandising, footwear, product innovation, and materials science to strengthen Lululemon’s end-to-end product creation engine and build a pipeline of innovative and distinctive product.
The new structure is designed to enable greater focus and speed from product vision through execution while raising the bar for product excellence, technical innovation, and differentiated value for customers.
Joseph Godsey – COO
This newly created role will bring together the company’s sourcing and production, commercialization, go-to-market, fulfillment, planning and allocations, and sustainability portfolios to strengthen product quality, execution across the business, and speed-to-market. Godsey will focus on driving efficiency to accelerate product transformation and guest experience excellence.
