Lululemon announced on Tuesday the appointment of Ranju Das to the role of chief AI and technology officer, effective September 2.
Lululemon
In a company first, Das will be responsible for leading the Canadian activewear company’s technology organization and driving the development and execution of the next phase of its technology and AI strategy. He will report to chief executive officer, Calvin McDonald, and will join the company’s senior leadership team.
“I’m excited to join Lululemon at a pivotal time in the company’s technology transformation journey,” said Das.
“The opportunity to leverage technology and AI across the retail value chain to elevate how we serve our guests has never been greater. I look forward to working with Lululemon’s teams to advance the company’s data, technology, and AI strategies to drive ongoing growth, operational excellence, best-in-class product, and exceptional guest experiences.”
With over two decades of leadership experience driving AI-first innovation in healthcare, financial technology, and consumer technology, Das joins Lululemon from Swan AI Studios, where he held the role of CEO and founder.
Before founding Swan AI Studios, the executive served as CEO of OptumLabs, the R&D arm of UnitedHealth Group, after spending nearly eight years at Amazon, culminating to the role as general manager for Amazon AI Services. His career also includes 12 years of engineering and leadership roles at Barnes & Noble, as well as co-founding a number of startups.
“We see an exciting opportunity to further leverage AI and technology to advance our product innovation process, improve our agility and speed to market, and bring more engagement and personalization to our guest experience,” said McDonald.
“Ranju’s breadth of expertise and proven track record of leading large-scale technology and AI transformations make him the ideal individual to drive this work forward at lululemon and take our technology organization to the next level. We’re thrilled to welcome Ranju to the team.”
Coinciding with the news, Lululemon announced chief information officer Julie Averill will depart the company in September, to pursue other opportunities.
Earlier this year, the luxury athleisurewear brand revealed plans to eliminate approximately 150 corporate positions, as part of a wider organizational restructuring to enhance agility and long-term growth.
