Nike's seasoned pro joined Athleta as they aim to rejuvenate their faltering revamp efforts
In a bid to revitalize the struggling activewear brand, Athleta, Gap Inc. has appointed Maggie Gauger as its new global brand president and CEO, effective from August 1, 2025. Gauger, a seasoned executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in women's active sport and style, most notably at Nike, is taking over from Chris Blakeslee, who joined Athleta two years ago.
Gauger's extensive background spans retail, strategy, merchandising, product creation, commerce, digital, and general management on both domestic and global levels. Most recently, at Nike, Gauger was head of the North America Women’s Business, where she was responsible for driving growth, brand loyalty, and customer acquisition in the active and athleisure markets.
Gap Inc.'s CEO, Richard Dickson, emphasized Gauger's proven business transformation capabilities, deep consumer centricity, and product fluency, which are critical to accelerating Athleta’s reinvigoration in the competitive women's activewear space.
The appointment comes at a time when Athleta is grappling with declining sales. In its most recent quarter, the brand's net sales fell 6% year over year to $308 million, and its comparable sales plummeted 8%. The declines were worse than many analysts anticipated, with Evercore analysts stating that Athleta's turnaround is taking longer than the market had expected.
Chris Blakeslee had been working on a turnaround at Athleta, but merchandising changes under his watch were falling flat. His departure, along with that of Sheila Shekar Pollak, a brand marketing executive at Athleta, earlier this year, marks a significant shift in the brand's leadership.
Gauger's expertise and leadership are expected to steer Athleta towards sustainable and meaningful growth, focusing on purpose, performance, and empowerment of women and girls. As she takes the helm, Gauger will be tasked with navigating the challenges shaping online retail, including those related to reverse logistics, to position Athleta for success in the competitive activewear market.
[1] Gap Inc. Press Release, "Maggie Gauger Named Global Brand President and CEO of Athleta," 2025. [2] Nike Press Release, "Maggie Gauger to Leave Nike for Global Brand President and CEO Role at Athleta," 2025. [3] CNBC, "Nike's Maggie Gauger to Lead Athleta as CEO," 2025. [4] Women's Wear Daily, "Maggie Gauger Tapped as Athleta CEO," 2025. [5] Retail Dive, "Gap Names Nike Veteran Maggie Gauger as Athleta CEO," 2025.
- Gap Inc.'s appointment of Maggie Gauger as Athleta's global brand president and CEO, effective from August 1, 2025, is a strategic move aiming to revitalize the struggling activewear brand.
- Gauger, with her extensive background in retail, strategy, merchandising, product creation, commerce, digital, and general management, is expected to leverage AI and technology to drive growth in the competitive women's activewear market.
- The editorial in Women's Fashion and Beauty magazine highlights Gauger's leadership and expertise in the fashion and lifestyle industry, as well as her deep consumer centricity and product fluency that will be crucial for Athleta's reinvigoration.
- In the face of declining sales and increasing competition, the business community is closely monitoring Gauger's strategy for Athleta's turnaround, as delays in the brand's recovery could impact the company's overall financial performance.
- As the new CEO of Athleta, Gauger will focus on building brand loyalty, customer acquisition, and fostering a sense of purpose, performance, and empowerment for women and girls in the fashion, finance, and technology sectors.
