Lululemon taps industry veteran for new chief AI and tech officer role
Lululemon is looking to the future by adding a new artificial intelligence-focused role to its C-suite.
The activewear brand has appointed Ranju Das as chief AI and technology officer, effective Sept. 2. In this newly created role, Das will be responsible for leading Lululemon’s technology organization and driving the development and execution of the “next phase” of the company’s technology and AI strategy. He will report to CEO Calvin McDonald and will join the company’s senior leadership team.
Das has over two decades of leadership experience scaling global organizations and driving AI-powered innovation in healthcare, financial technology, and consumer technology. Most recently, he held the roles of CEO and founder of Swan AI Studios, an AI-centered firm focused on scaling companies in the healthcare and biotech sectors.
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“We see an exciting opportunity to further leverage AI and technology to advance our product innovation process, improve our agility and speed to market, and bring more engagement and personalization to our guest experience,” said McDonald. “Ranju’s breadth of expertise and proven track record of leading large-scale technology and AI transformations make him the ideal individual to drive this work forward at Lululemon and take our technology organization to the next level."
Before founding Swan AI Studios in 2023, Das served as CEO of OptumLabs, the research & development arm of UnitedHealth Group, where he led AI and data-driven initiatives across healthcare and insurance verticals.
Prior to OptumLabs, he spent nearly eight years at Amazon, ultimately serving as general manager for Amazon AI Services, where he built and scaled some of the company’s key AI offerings. His career also includes 12 years of engineering and leadership roles at Barnes & Noble, as well as co-founding a number of startups.
“I’m excited to join Lululemon at a pivotal time in the company’s technology transformation journey,” said Das. “The opportunity to leverage technology and AI across the retail value chain to elevate how we serve our guests has never been greater. I look forward to working with lululemon’s teams to advance the company’s data, technology, and AI strategies to drive ongoing growth, operational excellence, best-in-class product, and exceptional guest experiences.”
In tandem with the appointment of Das, Lululemon also announced that chief information officer Julie Averill will depart the company in September as part of a planned leadership transition to pursue other opportunities.
“I would like to thank Julie for her leadership and the strong technology foundation she has helped build at Lululemon over the past eight years,” said McDonald. “We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”
At the end of its most recent quarter, Lululemon operated approximately 770 locations nationwide. The brand is known for athletic apparel, footwear and accessories for yoga, running, training and more.
