Maggie Gauger to lead Athleta as global brand president and CEO

Gap Inc.has announced a leadership transition for its Athleta brand, with Maggie Gauger appointed as global brand president and CEO, effective August 1, 2025. Gauger succeeds Chris Blakeslee, who will step down from his role but remain with the company as an advisor to ensure a seamless transition.

Richard Dickson, CEO of Gap Inc., expressed confidence in Athleta's potential within the women's active market and the broader brand portfolio. He acknowledged Blakeslee's contributions over the past two years in initiating Athleta's brand reset, focusing on innovative performance products and refining the brand's identity, thereby positioning it for future growth.

Commenting on Gauger's appointment as Athleta CEO, Dickson said, "Maggie blends proven business transformation capabilities, deep consumer centricity, product fluency, and a heartfelt commitment to empowering women and girls. This combination of skills and experiences will equip her to lead Athleta into its next chapter of growth - rooted in purpose, performance, and people."

Gauger brings over two decades of leadership experience in women's active sport and style from Nike, where she most recently led the North America Women's Business. In this role, she was instrumental in fostering growth, brand loyalty, and customer acquisition within the active and athleisure markets. Her comprehensive background spans various critical areas including retail, strategy, merchandising, product creation, commerce, digital, and general management, both domestically and internationally.

Gauger conveyed her enthusiasm for the new role, stating, "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."