Lululemon Athletica, Inc. has named Ranju Das as chief AI and technology officer, effective September 2. In this newly created role, Das will be responsible for leading the company’s technology organization and driving the development and execution of the next phase of Lululemon’s technology and AI strategy.
Das will report to Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald and will join the company’s senior leadership team.
“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 in a media release announcing the hire. “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. We’re thrilled to welcome Ranju to the team.”
Das is reported to have over two decades of leadership experience scaling global organizations and driving AI-first innovation in healthcare, financial technology and consumer technology. He previously held the role of CEO and Founder of Swan AI Studios, leading the development of AI platforms and applications across industries.
Before founding Swan AI Studios, Das served as CEO of OptumLabs, the R&D arm of UnitedHealth Group, where he led AI and data-driven initiatives across healthcare and insurance verticals. Prior to joining OptumLabs, he spent nearly eight years at Amazon, ultimately serving as GM for Amazon AI Services, where he built and scaled some of the company’s key AI offerings. His career also includes 12 years of experience in engineering and leadership roles at Barnes & Noble, as well as co-founding several startups.
Das began his career as a software engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Structural Engineering from Annamalai University.
“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.”
Lululemon also announced today, August 26, that CIO Julie Averill will depart the company in September to pursue other opportunities as part of a planned leadership transition.
McDonald added, “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. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”
Image courtesy Lululemon Athletica, Inc / LinkedIn
