Lululemon Americas president Celeste Burgoyne exits amid North American slowdown

The departure of Americas President Celeste Burgoyne, who will become Chief Revenue Officer of ski resort company Vail Resorts, adds “an additional layer of uncertainty” to Lululemon’s North American performance, which is already experiencing slowing sales and market turbulence. Her exit, following that of the former Chief Product Officer, has prompted a major internal reorganization to consolidate global commercial leadership.

Lululemon’s Reorganization

In conjunction with her departure, Lululemon is streamlining its regional leadership structure. André Maestrini has been promoted to President and Chief Commercial Officer. He will now oversee all global regions, stores, and digital channels, including the critical North American market, reporting directly to CEO Calvin McDonald. Maestrini joined Lululemon in 2021 as executive vice president of international and is credited with overseeing operations across high-growth markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and China Mainland.

A Key Loss During Turbulence

Burgoyne’s exit is viewed by analysts as a significant blow, coming less than two years after Chief Product Officer Sun Choe also departed. Needham& Co. analystTom Nikic stated that the loss of both executives, who were considered key architects of the brand’s ascendance, is “not ideal” during a period when the brand is overhauling its product design and development processes.

The personnel loss coincides with challenges in Lululemon’s most important market, including a challenging macro environment, an increasingly intense competitive landscape, and the market concern of potential consumer “athleisure fatigue.” Maestrini now faces the immediate task of navigating a North American turnaround while continuing to scale the brand globally.