Canada’s Lululemon founder pushes governance overhaul, names nominees

Chip Wilson, Founder of lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ: LULU) (“lululemon” or the “Company”) and one of lululemon’s largest shareholders, today announced the nomination of three independent and highly qualified director candidates (collectively, the “Candidates”) for election to the lululemon Board of Directors (the “Board”) at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (including any adjournments, postponements, reschedulings or continuations thereof, the “Annual Meeting”). At the same time, Wilson submitted a non-binding proposal that calls for the Board to immediately declassify so that all directors are elected annually by shareholders. Only approximately 10 percent of S&P 500 companies have staggered director elections, including lululemon1.

Wilson’s director nominees are as follows, with more detailed biographies appended to this release:

Lululemon founder and major shareholder Chip Wilson has nominated three independent directors—Marc Maurer, Laura Gentile & Eric Hirshberg—for election at the 2026 AGM, while urging immediate declassification of the Board.
He criticised weak succession planning and oversight, arguing the company needs stronger creative, brand-led leadership to restore growth and shareholder confidence.

Marc Maurer: Maurer is the former Co-Chief Executive Officer of On Holding AG, where he led the Company’s rapid growth and increase in profitability. As Co-CEO, On experienced global brand expansion, retail & DTC scaling and nearly quadrupled revenue under Maurer’s leadership2.
Laura Gentile: Gentile is the former Chief Marketing Officer of ESPN, where she oversaw creative output, fan engagement, media strategy, event marketing and social media for all of ESPN’s brands, platforms, shows and events. Under Gentile’s leadership, ESPN was the #1 most trusted brand in sports media and achieved record viewership and social engagement. She also founded espnW, ESPN’s first and only dedicated business for women, which she helped develop into a multi-media business, opening a new market for ESPN, and serving as a catalyst for the growth and momentum of women’s sports.
Eric Hirshberg: Hirshberg is the former Chief Executive Officer of Activision, the largest segment of Activision Blizzard. Activision Blizzard’s stock rose 500%, and Activision’s segment profit nearly doubled during Hirshberg’s close to eight years in the role3. He oversaw leading franchises including Call of Duty, Destiny, Guitar Hero and Skylanders. Prior to joining Activision, Hirshberg was Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of the Deutsch LA advertising agency, where he grew the firm into a nationally recognized creative force.

Wilson issued the following statement regarding the nominees:

“It is clear to the world that lululemon is special, but in need of change. As I have stated for years, lululemon needs visionary creative leadership to thrive. The simple truth is that the current Board lacks these skills and, as a result, lululemon is unable to win back the confidence of its critical stakeholders and regain commercial momentum. The nominees I put forward today are the change that is needed to redefine lululemon and begin this company’s next chapter of success.

My passion for the lululemon athletica muse has never changed, but I know this campaign for change cannot be about me. It is about recommitting lululemon to genuine creative leadership that will re-establish a brand of enduring strength. That is why we have put forward three, fully independent and world-class creative leaders to make the Board more effective and accountable.

The recent CEO change announcement was the third total failure of Board oversight with no clear succession plan in place. Shareholders have no faith that this Board can select and support the next CEO without input from a Board with stronger product experience. The Board must be refreshed so that creative, brand-first experience is empowered. This is the only way to restore shareholder confidence and set lululemon back on the path to growth, product innovation and premium quality.

It is clear to me that these independent, highly-accomplished nominees will be an asset to lululemon. They can play an essential role in refocusing on the inspirational customer, revitalizing its bold vision, attracting the best people and maximizing value for all shareholders.”

Biographies of Chip Wilson’s Nominees

Marc Maurer, Former Co-CEO, On Holding AG

Marc Maurer served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of On from January 2021 to June 2025, after joining the company in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer. During Maurer’s time as Co-CEO, On’s revenue nearly quadrupled2. In these roles, Maurer played a central part in supporting On’s growth from an emerging performance footwear brand into a globally recognized premium company with a strong direct-to-consumer and wholesale presence. During his tenure, On expanded internationally, diversified its product portfolio across footwear and apparel and completed a successful public listing. Prior to joining On, Maurer served as Head of Business Development and Marketing for Valora Retail, a publicly traded European retail company, from April 2012 to March 2013, where he was responsible for driving its business development strategy. Maurer’s unparalleled experience guiding a performance-driven brand through global expansion and operational scale would make him a valuable addition to lululemon’s Board.

Laura Gentile, Former CMO, ESPN

Laura Gentile served as the Chief Marketing Officer of ESPN from January 2018 to November 2023, after joining the company in 2003. During her time at ESPN, Gentile founded espnW, ESPN’s platform dedicated to women in sports, helping to expand the company’s reach, and cultural relevance. As Chief Marketing Officer, Gentile oversaw ESPN’s global marketing strategy, brand positioning, consumer growth and content marketing across all brands, platforms, shows and events. Over the course of her career at ESPN, she held a range of senior leadership roles spanning creative marketing, content partnerships and audience and business development, and was instrumental in evolving the ESPN brand in a rapidly changing media landscape. Following her tenure at ESPN, Gentile co-founded Storied Sports, a content studio built to partner with athletes, brands and media to create storytelling and commercial platforms. Gentile’s expertise in global brand strategy and growth, consumer engagement and creative marketing would be an invaluable asset to lululemon’s Board.

Eric Hirshberg, Former CEO, Activision Publishing

Eric Hirshberg served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision, the largest division of Activision Blizzard, from 2010 to 2018. Under his leadership, Activision’s flagship franchises achieved record-breaking and industry-leading commercial success, driving significant growth in segment profitability and stock performance. Before joining Activision, Hirshberg was Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of the Deutsch LA advertising agency, where he grew the firm into a nationally recognized creative force. Beyond his executive roles, he is also an investor and advisor to early-stage companies and serves on Boards of Trustees including the XPrize Foundation and UCLA’s School of Arts and Architecture. Hirshberg’s expertise in brand-building, consumer engagement and cross-industry leadership would contribute valuable strategic perspective to the lululemon Board.