Beyond Yoga Co-Founder Michelle Wahler is stepping down as CEO. The company said that Nancy Green, former CEO and president of Athleta, will assume her role, effective February 1, at the athletic and lifestyle apparel brand owned by Levi Strauss & Co.
“We set out to develop a brand that honors real women’s bodies, and I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished with Beyond Yoga,” said Wahler. “I always believed that Beyond Yoga could be a $1 billion brand, and, with Nancy’s experience, I look forward to seeing how she takes our vision into the future.”
Since founding Beyond Yoga, Wahler reportedly expanded the wholesale business but established a direct-to-consumer model that consistently grew double-digits year-over-year.
COO/CFO Jesse Adams has been with the company for over a decade and was said to be instrumental in its success. She is also stepping down.
“Under Michelle’s leadership, Beyond Yoga has grown from an idea to a nearly $100 million omnichannel retailer,” said Chip Bergh, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “I want to thank Michelle for her leadership and for integrating Beyond Yoga into the LS&Co. portfolio. Based on the strong foundation she built, we anticipate a smooth transition for our employees, consumers and customers.”
LS&Co. acquired Beyond Yoga in 2021 as part of its strategy to diversify its portfolio. The company said the athleisure brand provided LS&Co. “with entry into the high-growth activewear segment, contributing nearly $100 million to net revenue in fiscal 2022.”
Beyond Yoga opened its first store in 2022 in Santa Monica, CA, and now has six stores.
Green is a veteran retailer and is reportedly a “proven brand builder with a legacy of driving significant profitable growth.”
Under her leadership at Athleta, her team was credited with transforming the brand by introducing the “Power of She” platform and reshaping its product line via a robust innovation pipeline, the introduction of the Athleta Girl line and advances in product sustainability. During this time, Athleta’s revenues grew from $250 million to nearly $1 billion, with its operating margin significantly growing and its store network expanding from 39 stores to 175 stores.
In addition to leading Athleta, Green was president and CEO of Old Navy between 2019 and 2022, where she oversaw the brand’s growth from $8 billion to $9 billion, with growth in the activewear channel.
Green has served on boards, including Marine Layer, Allbirds and the National Retail Federation. She is on the advisory board of Lily AI and is a senior advisor at the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.
“This is an exciting time for Beyond Yoga, which has thrived under the LS&Co. umbrella,” said Michelle Gass, LS&Co. president and incoming CEO. “We have arrived at a natural inflection point for this incredible brand, and as we pursue the next stage of growth, we believe Nancy has the experience to fully unlock the potential of Beyond Yoga® by leveraging her impressive retail expertise and LS&Co. ‘s extensive global resources and capabilities.”
“I’m honored to be leading Beyond Yoga, a brand I’ve known and loved for years, and I see so much upside potential for this authentic and high-quality brand to reach and engage many more consumers. I look forward to partnering with Beyond Yoga and LS&Co. teams to continue to build the brand and accelerate its growth,” said Green. “As a purpose-driven leader, I’m inspired by the fact that Beyond Yoga stands for more than just comfort and performance; the brand has created an inclusive, body-positive community that celebrates diversity and giving back. I’m committed to staying true to these values as we continue to build this community and scale this brand for its next chapter of growth. I want to thank the founders of Beyond Yoga, Michelle Wahler and Jodi Guber Brufsky, for creating this beloved, values-led brand and to reinforce my commitment to staying true to the brand’s promise.”
Beyond Yoga plans to expand the business through increased direct-to-consumer channels, including brick-and-mortar retail and category growth, enhancing its wholesale footprint, and increasing its international presence.
The brand will continue to operate as a standalone division within LS&Co. while leveraging LS&Co. resources to expand its reach.
Image courtesy Beyond Yoga
