Lululemon appoints Ben Hallam and Emily Sunderland to brand and strategy roles

Lululemon has appointed Ben Hallam as Chief Brand Officer and Emily Sunderland as Chief Strategy Officer, according to TheIndustry.fashion. The appointments extend a senior leadership restructuring under Heidi O'Neill, who became CEO in September.

Hallam joins from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where he was Senior Vice President of Marketing. His appointment takes effect on 9 November, reporting directly to O'Neill. His remit covers global brand marketing, creative, store experience and community, including sports marketing, partnerships and social impact. The company said he will work with product, commercial and regional leaders to make its brand expression more consistent across customer experiences.

Sunderland, previously Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group, joins on 23 November and will report to Chief Financial Officer Meghan Frank. She will develop long-term strategy, identify growth opportunities and strengthen strategic planning. Lululemon said her experience includes advising businesses across activewear, apparel and specialty retail.

The company is also recruiting a Chief Technology Officer and Chief Communications Officer. The restructuring follows weaker results reported in September, including a 4% second-quarter revenue decrease to $2.4 billion and a 9% decline in comparable sales.

Why it matters

The appointments put new leaders in charge of Lululemon's brand presentation, store experience and growth planning as sales decline. For fashion industry professionals, the remaining technology and communications vacancies also show that its leadership restructuring is still underway.