Lululemon Athletica, Inc. has hired former Nike senior executive Heidi O’Neill as its next chief executive officer (CEO). O’Neill will start as CEO and join the Board of Directors, effective September 8. She will be based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
O’Neill succeeds Calvin McDonald, who stepped down, effective January 31, after eight years as CEO amid slowing North American growth and pressure from Lululemon founder and major shareholder, Chip Wilson, and activist investor Elliott Investment Management.
“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,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s Board of Directors, in a media release announcing to appointment. “The Board conducted an extensive search to identify the right next leader to propel Lululemon forward. We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success in delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent. We are excited to have Heidi join Lululemon and bring her strategic and creative vision to the company.”
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear, and sport, “with a strong track record of driving disruptive change and growth at scale through product innovation, digital transformation, and powerful brand connection,” according to Lululemon.
She was Nike’s president, consumer, product & brand from June 2023 to September 2025. In that role, she oversaw the global consumer and product engine. O’Neill also reset the brand foundation, reduced product development timelines to accelerate speed-to-market, and prioritized renewed momentum in global football and running.
As Nike’s president, Consumer & Marketplace from April 2020 to June 2023, she led operations across more than 170 countries, including the global commercial organization, and held P&L responsibility. O’Neill was previously responsible for the global direct-to-consumer and digital business, encompassing owned retail stores, e-commerce, mobile applications, membership, and consumer data and analytics. She first joined Nike in 1998 as director of marketing and served as VP/General Manager of the Global Women’s Division/Women’s Training and Fitness for seven years.
O’Neill began her career in advertising at Foote, Cone & Belding and as director of Marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss & Co. She has been a board member on Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia & Driveway.
“Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” said O’Neill. “As I step into the CEO role in September, my job will be to build on that foundation — to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world. I am humbled by the opportunity and energized by what the team is already building. I look forward to joining the company and helping to define and deliver the organization’s next chapter of success.”
Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue to lead as interim co-CEOs until O’Neill joins the company. At that time, Frank and Maestrini plan to return to their previous senior leadership roles and work closely with O’Neill and the rest of the leadership team to drive momentum forward.
Morfitt added, “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.”
Image courtesy Lululemon
