Nike Alum Maggie Gauger Is Athleta’s New CEO

Gap Inc. has appointed former Nike executive Maggie Gauger to head its Athleta activewear brand, the company announced Tuesday.

Gauger replaces Chris Blakeslee, who joined Athleta from Alo Yoga in 2023 to spearhead the brand’s turnaround under Gap Inc. chief executive Richard Dickson. While other brands in the company’s portfolio, including Gap itself, have seen their outlook brighten, Athleta has continued to struggle to stand out in a competitive activewear market, ceding share to longtime rival Lululemon as well as newcomers such as Vuori. In Gap Inc.’s latest quarterly results, Athleta net sales declined 6 percent year-on-year to $306 million.

“Over the past two years, Chris has led the early stages of Athleta’s reset, recentering the brand to win with innovative performance product and refining the brand’s point of view, helping to position Athleta for the future,” Dickson said in a statement.

Gauger is joining Athleta after 20 years at Nike. Her most recent role was head of Nike’s North American women’s business.

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