lululemon Adds Former Levi's CEO Chip Bergh to Its Board of Directors

Chip Bergh spent 13 years turning Levi Strauss & Co. back into a cultural force. Now lululemon wants some of that same energy in its boardroom.

lululemon athletica announced on March 17, 2026, that Bergh, the former President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., had joined its Board of Directors as an independent director, effective immediately. The announcement landed the same day the Vancouver-based company reported its latest financial results, underscoring the weight the brand is placing on governance stability at a pivotal moment.

The appointment is lululemon's fifth new independent director added to its board in the last five years, part of what executive chair Marti Morfitt described as a deliberate refresh. "Chip Bergh is an industry leader with a proven record of guiding successful transformations, overseeing the growth of some of the world's most iconic brands, and driving value creation at global, category-defining companies," Morfitt said. She also tied the move directly to the ongoing CEO search: "We remain focused on progressing the search for lululemon's next CEO, overseeing the development and execution of the company's plans, and taking steps to drive long-term, sustainable growth and shareholder value creation."

Bergh's credentials stretch well beyond his 2011-to-2024 run at Levi's. Before that, he logged 28 years at Procter & Gamble across brand management, general management, and executive leadership. He currently serves as non-executive chair of HP Inc., a position he has held since joining that board in 2015, and also sits on the boards of e.l.f. Beauty and Pinterest. He previously served on the board of VF Corporation. Outside the corporate world, Bergh is a Senior Lecturer of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and holds a bachelor's degree in international affairs from Lafayette College.

The mechanics of his arrival involved a March 13, 2026, board vote that temporarily expanded the board to 10 members. Bergh will stand for election at lululemon's 2026 annual meeting, at which point he will formally take the seat of David Mussafer, who informed the company on March 13 that he would retire at the end of his term. Mussafer, chairman and managing partner at Advent International, first joined lululemon's board in 2005 and served as its lead director, helping guide the company through its international expansion. With his departure, the board is expected to revert to nine members following the annual meeting. Bergh will sit on key governance and compensation committees in the interim.

The appointment arrives with lululemon carrying a market capitalization of $19.58 billion and LULU stock sitting at a Hold rating from analysts, with a price target of $190.00. The WSJ noted the appointment came "amid pressure from founder Chip Wilson," though the full context of that reporting was not available at publication time.

Reaction on LinkedIn ran the full spectrum. "A strong addition to the leadership bench at lululemon," wrote Pascal Houdayer. "Bringing in Chip Bergh known for transforming Levi Strauss & Co. signals a clear focus on long-term brand growth, innovation and global expansion." Carsten Fischer offered a more cautious read: "The challenge isn't scaling the company. It's scaling without losing the original energy that made people believe in it." And Deepak Acharya kept it blunt: "Oh lord what a mess."

With a CEO search still open and a founding-era board member heading for the exit, lululemon's next chapter is being written in real time.