After months of sharp criticism and wrangling over the direction of the company he founded in 1998, Dennis J. “Chip” Wilson has reached an agreement with Lululemon Athletica. The athleisure retailer will name two candidates recommended by Wilson to its board of directors, and the board also has agreed to appoint an additional director with product and brand expertise by Oct. 1, 2026.
Chip Wilson
The composition of the Lululemon board has been a key battleground for Wilson and Lululemon’s current leadership. In December 2025 Wilson nominated Marc Maurer, former Co-CEO of On; Laura Gentile, former Chief Marketing Officer of ESPN; and Eric Hirshberg, former CEO of Activision, to the Lululemon board. As recently as earlier this month, the Lululemon board had criticized Wilson’s nominees, saying they put the retailer’s progress at risk. Now, however, the board will welcome Maurer and Gentile following the Lululemon shareholders’ meeting on June 25.
“On behalf of the Board, we are pleased to reach this agreement with Chip Wilson, which allows Lululemon to focus on continuing to strengthen its performance,” said Marti Morfitt, Executive Chair of Lululemon in a statement. “We valued the opportunity to meet with Laura, Marc and Eric Hirshberg through this process, and believe each offers unique skills and experiences that could be valuable to a board. Lululemon now has a clear path forward for our incoming CEO, Heidi O’Neill and our leadership team.”
Compromise After Months of Criticism
Wilson has been a tough critic of the current Lululemon leadership, including faulting them in March 2026 for a “third failed succession planning process” in its search for a CEO to replace longtime leader Calvin McDonald. The brand selected Nike veteran Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO in April; she officially takes office in September 2026.
Wilson released a public letter in February 2026 outlining his complaints, and in April 2026 Wilson said he planned to invest in other athleisure brands; he remains Lululemon’s single biggest shareholder, holding 8.7% of the company’s outstanding stock.
“The Board additions Lululemon announced today and strategic changes already made by the team reflect meaningful progress toward restoring the company’s product-first vision and unlocking tremendous value for shareholders,” said Wilson in a statement.
Under the terms of the agreement, Wilson agreed to customary standstill, non-disparagement, voting and related provisions for approximately 18 months, until 30 days prior to the nomination deadline for the 2028 annual meeting. In lieu of reimbursement, the company and Wilson have agreed that a donation will be made supporting athletics, art and landscaping at Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver, where Lululemon was founded.
Wilson left the Lululemon Athletica board in 2015. After founding the company in 1998 he remained involved in day-to-day activities until early 2012, then stepped down as board chairman in 2013. Lululemon faces intense competition from newer players in the athleisure industry, including Vuori, Alo and Fabletics.
