lululemon Names First Chief AI and Technology Officer
lululemon on Tuesday announced that it has appointed Ranju Das as chief AI as technology officer, effective Sept. 2. In this newly created role, Das will be responsible for leading the company’s technology organization and driving the development and execution of the next phase of lululemon’s technology and AI strategy. He will report to CEO Calvin McDonald and will join the company’s senior leadership team. The athletic apparel brand also announced the departure of Chief Information Officer Julie Averill as part of a planned leadership transition.
Total Retail's Take: lululemon is shaking up its technology leadership with the replacement of its chief information role with a newly created chief AI and technology officer position. The switch showcases the brand's focus on innovation, with McDonald citing hopes for advancements in product innovation, speed to market, and personalization.
"Ranju’s breadth of expertise and proven track record of leading large-scale technology and AI transformations make him the ideal individual to drive this work forward at lululemon and take our technology organization to the next level," said McDonald in a company press release.
Das has over two decades of leadership experience scaling global organizations and driving AI-first innovation in healthcare, financial technology, and consumer technology. He previously held CEO roles at Swan AI Studios and OptumLabs, the R&D arm of UnitedHealth Group, and before that spent nearly eight years at Amazon.com working on AI services.
The new C-suite position follows news in June that lululemon would lay off about 150 corporate employees in store support centers to foster “more agility and further invest in our growth.” In the U.S., the athletic brand's Q1 performance showed a drop in revenue and modest tariff-induced price hikes this summer.
- Categories:
- Leadership
- People:
- Calvin McDonald
- Ranju Das
Kristina Stidham is the digital content director at Total Retail and sister brands Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel & Hospitality at NAPCO Media. She is passionate about digital media and handles video, podcast and virtual event production for all brands. You can often find her at WIRLC, TR, WLT&H or industry events with her camera and podcasting equipment—or at home on Zoom—recording interviews with thought leaders and business executives.
Kristina holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Production from the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia. Go Owls! When she's not in the office, she loves to go on long walks, sing around the house, hangout with her family and two pet guinea pigs, and travel to new places.
