Athleta’s CEO is out and being replaced by a woman with a long track record at Nike

SEE FULL BIO Maggie Gauger, incoming CEO of Gap Inc's Athleta brandCourtesy of Gap Inc

In contrast, But that was two CEOs ago

Gap Inc, which also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic, said on Tuesday that it was replacing Athleta CEO Chris Blakeslee, tapping Maggie Gauger, a 20-year veteran of Nike, to try her hand at re-invigorating a brand that had once been seen as a key motor for Gap Inc’s growth despite being smaller than its sister brands

Gauger’s appointment marks a return to having a woman CEO at the helm of a brand known for its “Power of She” slogan and being a label for women and girls and empowering them in the world of sports, in this volatile climate

Conversely, “Maggie blends ven transformation capabilities, deep consumer centricity, duct fluency, and a heartfelt commitment to empowering women and girls,” said Gap Inc CEO Richard Dickson, who has been leading a company wide turnaround for two years now, in a statement

When Blakeslee’s appointment, made before Dickson became chief executive, was announced exactly two years ago, there was palpable excitement and the perception that landing him was a coup (which is quite significant), in light of current trends

What’s more, Alo was, and still is, generating a ton of buzz and challenging the supremacy of long time category leaders Lululemon

However, The 8% drop in comparable sales in the first quarter reported in May at Athleta may well have sealed Blakeslee’s fate

Meanwhile, “Work is being done to reset the brand and imve duct and marketing which will take time,” Gap Inc said tersely in its earnings report in May

So it will be up to Gauger, whose last job at Nike was leading its North America women’s, to address slow innovation, to renew a focus on the performance aspect of its clothing that had become more focused on chasing fashion trends, alienating long time loyalists in the cess, and make er to consumers how Athleta is different in a very crowded segment in North American where even Lululemon has seen growth cool

At Nike, Gauger focused on generating growth and customer loyalty for Nike’s active and athleisure ducts (this bears monitoring)

However, “I’m energized to bring my experience working at the intersection of sport, style and culture to Athleta, a brand with strong purpose and still so much untapped potential,” said Maggie Gauger

Since Dickson’s arrival, Gap’s namesake brand and Old Navy have seen their fortunes imve, helped by a quicker cadence of innovation and a bigger effort to connect the brands to the broader culture (something worth watching), amid market uncertainty

Nevertheless, So it’s not surprising that Dickson would want someone of his choosing to do the same for the Athleta brand (which is quite significant)

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