Lululemon Appoints New CEO to Drive Global Sales Strategy

Lululemon has announced Heidi O’Neill as the company’s newest CEO, who will assume the role on 8 September.

Heidi, who has worked at Nike for more than 25 years across several leadership positions, will replace outgoing CEO Calvin McDonald, who stepped down amid pressures relating to Lululemon’s disappointing market performance.

Speaking on Heidi’s leadership qualities in a company statement, Marti Morfitt, Lululemon’s Executive Chair, says: “Heidi is an inspiring leader and proven, consumer-driven brand strategist, with a rare ability to both imagine a new future for a brand and to create the structure and processes to deliver on that vision.

 “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent.”

In her own statement, Heidi added that she plans to focus on strengthening the company’s core foundation and unlocking growth in global markets.

“I am humbled by the opportunity and energised by what the team is already building,” she says. “I look forward to joining the company and helping to define and deliver the organisation’s next chapter of success.”

Executive leadership struggles

The leadership change at Lululemon comes at a notable time for the company, which had grown to US$11bn in revenue for fiscal 2025 , following a marketing campaign to persuade shoppers to buy leggings instead of jeans and slacks.

However, sales have declined in North America amid competition and shifting fashion trends, with consumers favouring looser styles compared to the form-fitting style that Lululemon is known for.

The company has also been embroiled in a corporate power struggle over the company’s future, with Lululemon’s founder Chip Wilson criticising the board’s chosen direction for the brand’s image. 

Chip, who owns roughly 4.3% of the company, is betting on investors appointing his choice of director candidates at the brand’s annual meeting later this year.  

Discussing the company’s future, Heidi says as she takes up the CEO role in September, she plans to “accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance and unlock growth in markets around the world”.

Driving Lululemon’s growth momentum

Lululemon’s interim co-CEOs, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini, will lead the company until Heidi’s arrival and have recently outlined a plan to revive sales at the company, promising to invest in stores, save on costs and accelerate product development.

“We feel the responsibility to this organisation, and the consumers and shareholders, to get into action and keep the team focused, despite what might be going on around Lululemon,” Meghan said in an interview with the New York Times in March.

Praising Meghan and André’s efficiency as interim leaders and Heidi’s potential in a company statement, Marti adds: “Meghan and André have seamlessly stepped in to lead the business as interim co-CEOs and, together with their teams, are advancing our plans and strategies with speed and agility, focused on product creation, product activation, and enterprise enablement. 

“Lululemon has an outstanding group of leaders who operate with discipline and have fostered a culture of excellence that will provide a strong foundation for Heidi to build on as she steps into the CEO role. 

“We see significant potential ahead for lululemon and we remain focused on driving momentum as we implement initiatives to increase product newness and enhance brand health and the guest experience, to create value for shareholders.”