Lululemon Names New Brand and Strategy Chiefs in Turnaround Push

Lululemon on Friday filled two of its four open C-suite roles, appointing Four Seasons executive Ben Hallam as chief brand officer and Boston Consulting Group Managing Director Emily Sunderland as strategy chief.

Hallam, most recently senior vice president of marketing at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, joined the senior leadership team Monday and reports to CEO Heidi O'Neil. Sunderland starts Nov. 23 and reports to Chief Financial Officer Meghan Frank.

The appointments deepen the turnaround effort that O'Neil, a Nike veteran, has built since taking the top job. One of her first moves as CEO was to split leadership of brand and product into two distinct C-suite roles, a structural change that gives each function a dedicated owner for the first time in the current setup.

Who is running what now?

Hallam controls more than marketing. His remit covers store experience, community, partnerships and social impact, and he is expected to work closely with the product team, commercial functions and regional leaders. His background includes roles at Airbnb and Shangri-La Group.

"Ben brings an exceptional combination of creative vision, commercial discipline, and experience transforming iconic, premium brands at scale," O'Neil said in a statement. She described his role as "central" to the company's turnaround.

Sunderland replaces Rachel Acheson, one of several executives who left Lululemon shortly before O'Neil arrived. Her consulting work in activewear and specialty retail will inform her mandate: identifying growth opportunities and developing long-term plans.

What remains open — and why it matters

Two roles stay vacant: chief technology officer and chief communications officer. The departures that created them were part of a broader exodus. Beyond Acheson, Chief Communications Officer Bill Chandler and Chief AI and Technology Officer Ranju Das both exited the company before O'Neil took over.

The broader bench has taken shape quickly. Last month Lululemon named then-Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger as product chief, a role that now covers merchandising, design and innovation — a critical assignment for a brand that has struggled to hit the right trends with shoppers. The retailer also tapped Walmart executive Joseph Godsey as chief operating officer.

The board gained a former product chief as well. Tara Poseley, who led that function at Lululemon from 2013 to 2015, joined the board, and the company restructured its raw materials team shortly before O'Neil arrived.

For marketers, the Hallam hire signals how Lululemon now defines brand leadership: one executive accountable for every physical and experiential touchpoint, not just campaigns. Whether that structure reverses the trend misses that have pressured the brand will show first in how quickly the two remaining C-suite seats are filled.