Lululemon appoints first chief AI and technology officer
Ranju Das brings more than 20 years of experience across healthcare, financial technology and consumer technology
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Lululemon has announced the appointment of Ranju Das as its first chief artificial intelligence and technology officer, effective from 2 September.
Das will lead the retailer’s technology organisation and oversee the development and execution of its AI and digital strategy. He will report to chief executive Calvin McDonald and join the company’s senior leadership team.
He brings more than 20 years of experience across healthcare, financial technology and consumer technology. Most recently, he was chief executive and founder of Swan AI Studios. He has also held senior roles at OptumLabs – the research and development division of UnitedHealth Group – and Amazon, where he led Amazon AI Services.
Earlier in his career, Das worked at Barnes and Noble and co-founded several startups.
The company also confirmed that chief information officer, Julie Averill, will depart in September as part of a planned leadership transition.
McDonald said: “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 personalisation to our guest experience.
“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 organisation to the next level. We’re thrilled to welcome Ranju to the team.”
He added: “I would like to thank Julie for her leadership and the strong technology foundation she has helped build at Lululemon over the past eight years. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”
Das said: “I’m excited to join Lululemon at a pivotal time in the company’s technology transformation journey. 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.”
