Lululemon Chief Communications Officer Bill Chandler is leaving the company on Sept. 4 to “pursue other opportunities,” the athleisure brand confirmed to Retail Dive. Chandler spent more than seven years at Lululemon in various communications roles, according to his LinkedIn.
“We are grateful for his many contributions to our growth over the past eight years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” a Lululemon spokesperson said in a statement.
Chandler’s departure comes just days after Lululemon Chief AI and Technology Officer Ranju Das exited his position. Analysts at the time of Das’ departure said they were “increasingly concerned about talent turnover,” especially with incoming CEO Heidi O’Neill set to join in just a couple of weeks.
“We are concerned with the two c-suite departures considering that the new CEO Heidi O’Neill has yet to start,” BNP Paribas senior analyst Laurent Vasilescu wrote on Friday. “We anticipate that there may be more employee turnover over the coming months.”
In addition to Das, Vasilescu was referring to Chief Strategy Officer Rachel Acheson, whose departure Lululemon did not confirm to Retail Dive.
“Lululemon has talented teams and leaders in place across the organization who remain focused on serving our guests and advancing the business during this transition,” a Lululemon spokesperson said to Retail Dive about the multiple departures. “As always, we will continue to invest in the talent and capabilities needed to deliver on our compelling long-term opportunity."
Chandler’s exit leaves yet another gap in O’Neill’s C-suite; she is set to take on the CEO post on Sept. 8.
Reactions to O’Neill’s appointment as CEO have been mixed from the start, with several analysts — and Lululemon founder Chip Wilson — expressing disappointment or trepidation about her ability to lead Lululemon’s turnaround. A longtime Nike veteran, O’Neill spent years working in women’s apparel at the activewear giant, but was also closely tied to former CEO John Donahoe’s ill-fated era.
One thing O’Neill won’t have to contend with anymore is Lululemon’s battle with Wilson, which escalated into a monthslong proxy fight. Lululemon and Wilson settled their feud in May with the addition of a couple of new board members.
Nevertheless, Lululemon in its most recent quarter warned that “spikes of negative commentary” dented traffic and sales leading into the second quarter. The retailer saw Q1 sales rise 4%, though they fell 3% in the Americas.
