Lululemon said Thursday that CEO Calvin McDonald will step down on January 31, 2026, ending a seven-year tenure that reshaped the company and pushed it further into performance sports, including the running world.
McDonald will remain as a senior advisor through March while the board conducts a global search for his successor. CFO Meghan Frank and Chief Commercial Officer André Maestrini will serve as interim co-CEOs.
When McDonald took over in 2018, Lululemon was still primarily an athleisure brand. Under his leadership, revenue more than tripled, the company expanded into more than 30 markets, and Lululemon began testing how far it could move beyond yoga studios and lifestyle wear.
The company began flirting with runners in 2022, when Lululemon released its first running shoe, the Blissfeel. It wasn’t a race shoe by any means, and it really wasn’t meant to be. It was a daily trainer, built with women in mind, and positioned as a sign that Lululemon was taking running seriously.
Since then, the company has added models like the Fast and Free, Chargefeel, and Beyondfeel Trail, covering road and light trail use.
Lululemon still isn’t a factor at the front of major races, and its shoes aren’t necessarily showing up on podiums (though they have signed some real-deal athletes, including Nikki Hiltz). But its apparel and footwear have become increasingly common at local races and group runs, especially among recreational runners who care more about fit and durability than marginal gains.
On top of that, who can forget that somewhat sercretive ultramarathon, FURTHER, where former Lululemon athlete Camille Herron went and smahed a laundry list of records. So, they did make some pretty big strides in recent years, but where do they go from here?
McDonald’s departure comes at a time when Lululemon is under pressure in the U.S. market.
Sales in the Americas have softened, competition from brands like Vuori and Alo has intensified, and the company’s stock is down significantly over the past year. International growth, particularly in China, has helped offset some of that slowdown.
The leadership change is being framed as planned, but it raises questions about what comes next, especially for Lululemon’s running ambitions. The brand has invested carefully so far, focusing on everyday runners rather than elite racing. Whether the next CEO accelerates that push or maybe throws the idea out the window will shape how Lululemon fits into the running world.
