Nike's seasoned professional joins Athleta as part of the brand's effort to revitalize its stagnant transformation.
In a strategic move to revitalize its Athleta brand, Gap Inc. has appointed Maggie Gauger as the global brand president and CEO of the activewear company. Gauger, a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience at Nike, most recently led the North America women's business and will bring her expertise in growth, digital commerce, and consumer focus to Athleta.
Gauger's appointment comes at a time when Athleta is facing challenges, with a 6% decrease in net sales reported in its most recent quarter. The declines in net sales and comparative sales were worse than many analysts anticipated, raising concerns about the brand's turnaround.
Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson, who took the helm two years ago, has been vocal about the recovery of Athleta taking longer than expected. He sees Gauger's combination of skills in purpose-driven leadership, product fluency, and commitment to empowering women and girls as key to unlocking Athleta's untapped potential and leading the brand into a new chapter of growth focused on purpose, performance, and people.
Gauger herself emphasizes leveraging Athleta’s mission around the power of women not just as athletes but as leaders and change-makers, aiming to inspire the next generation through product innovation and community building. This aligns with Gap’s strategy to revitalize Athleta, with early signs of improvement such as a 2% sales increase and 5% comparable sales growth in Q1 2025.
Chris Blakeslee, who led Athleta’s earlier reset and will remain an advisor to ensure a smooth leadership transition, will be replaced as CEO by Gauger effective from August 1, 2025. Blakeslee, a former executive of Alo Yoga, took over as CEO of Athleta two years ago, after Mary Beth Laughton, a longtime Gap Inc. executive, abruptly left. Laughton, a Nike vet who took the Athleta post in 2019, had herself been working on a turnaround but left after merchandising changes under her watch were falling flat.
Sheila Shekar Pollak, a brand marketing executive at Athleta, departed this year, further adding to the changes at the top. Pollak helped launch Athleta's "Power of She" branding and girls' line.
In summary, Gauger's background at Nike in women's activewear and her proven record in growth, digital commerce, and consumer focus underpin Gap Inc.'s strategy to revive Athleta’s brand position and financial performance by combining purposeful storytelling, product excellence, and community engagement. As Athleta moves forward, Gauger's leadership will be crucial in positioning the brand for the future by recentering it to win with innovative performance product and refining the brand's point of view.
- Gap Inc.'s strategy for reviving Athleta's brand position and financial performance includes leveraging cutting-edge technology, as demonstrated by Maggie Gauger's expertise in digital commerce.
- As the global brand president and CEO of Athleta, Maggie Gauger aims to inspire the next generation through product innovation, aligning with Gap's business strategy that prioritizes empowering women and girls.
- Facing challenges in the activewear market, Athleta seeks to capitalize on the growing intersection of fashion, AI, and technology to drive growth and remain competitive within the industry.
