Lululemon has appointed Emily Sunderland as its new Chief Strategy Officer, but the company still has no Chief Technology Officer. The athletic apparel retailer announced the hire on November 6, 2026, together with a new Chief Brand Officer, and said that searches remain underway for a CTO and a Chief Communications Officer.
Lululemon is a Canadian-American retailer. Its product range includes yoga wear, sportswear, lifestyle apparel, shoes, accessories, and personal care products.
Sunderland joins from Boston Consulting Group, where she was a Managing Director and Partner with expertise in activewear, apparel, and specialty retail. She will start on November 23, 2026, and report to Lululemon’s Chief Financial Officer, Meghan Frank. Her responsibilities will include identifying growth opportunities and strengthening the company’s strategic plans.
She fills a seat left empty since August, when former Chief Strategy Officer Rachel Acheson reportedly left the company after more than 6 years in strategy roles there.
The appointment is part of a wider reshuffle under CEO Heidi O’Neill, a 30-year Nike veteran who took over on September 8, 2026. Her predecessor, Calvin McDonald, stepped down in January. Until O’Neill arrived, CFO Meghan Frank and President and Chief Commercial Officer André Maestrini ran the company as interim co-CEOs.
In October, Lululemon named Maggie Gauger President and Chief Product Officer and Joseph Godsey Chief Operating Officer. Ben Hallam, previously Senior Vice President of Marketing at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, joins as Chief Brand Officer on November 9.
The changes come during a difficult year. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, operating income fell 37% to $276.9 million, and comparable sales in the Americas, the company’s largest region, fell 6% in constant currency. Lululemon also cut its full-year revenue forecast to $11 billion to $11.15 billion.
Ranju Das joined Lululemon in September 2025 in a newly created role, Chief AI and Technology Officer, reporting to then-CEO Calvin McDonald. He previously founded Swan AI Studios, served as CEO of OptumLabs at UnitedHealth Group, and spent nearly 8 years at Amazon, where he founded its AI Services organization. According to an SEC filing, his last day was August 13, 2026, less than a year after he joined. The filing did not name a successor.
Das addressed his departure in a LinkedIn post, describing his time at Lululemon as an “incredible chapter.” He said he had decided to step away and begin a new one, and called it a privilege to lead the company’s technology and AI strategy.
Lululemon also confirmed Das’s departure. “We are grateful for his contribution and wish him well in his next chapter,” a Lululemon spokesperson said. The company did not disclose why Das left.
According to RTIH, Lululemon has launched a global search for its next technology leader and says it has full confidence in its current technology teams. Analysts are watching the turnover closely. BNP Paribas analyst Laurent Vasilescu expects more employee departures in the coming months.
A strong CTO thinks like a business leader and aligns technology decisions with strategic objectives.
Lululemon’s next CTO will inherit an AI and data agenda that has been without a leader since August. Under a new CEO and a largely new leadership team, that person will need to make sure the company’s technology supports business growth and enhances the customer experience.
