Beyond Yoga names Nancy Green new CEO

Beyond Yoga, the athletic and lifestyle apparel brand owned by Levi Strauss & Co, announced on Friday that co-founder Michelle Wahler will step down as CEO.

Nancy Green, former CEO and president of Athleta, will assume the role of CEO of Beyond Yoga, effective February 1.

A veteran retailer and proven brand builder, Green and her team at Athleta transformed the brand by introducing the ‘Power of She’ platform and reshaping its product line via a robust innovation pipeline, the introduction of the Athleta Girl line and significant advances in product sustainability.

During this time, Athleta’s revenues grew from $250 million to nearly $1 billion, with operating margin significantly growing and its store network expanding from 39 to 175 stores.

In addition to leading Athleta, Green was president and CEO of Old Navy between 2019 and 2022, where she oversaw the brand’s growth from $8 to $9 billion, with significant growth in activewear.

Green has also served on boards such as Marine Layer, Allbirds and the National Retail Federation, is on the advisory board of Lily AI, and is a senior advisor at the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. 

Green’s appointment as CEO is expected “to bring in a new era of accelerated growth for Beyond Yoga,” according to a press release.

“This is an exciting time for Beyond Yoga, which has thrived under the LS&Co. umbrella,” said Michelle Gass, LS&Co. president and incoming CEO.

“We have arrived at a natural inflection point for this incredible brand, and as we pursue the next stage of growth, we believe Nancy has the experience to fully unlock the potential of Beyond Yoga by leveraging her impressive retail expertise and LS&Co.’s extensive global resources and capabilities.”

LS&Co. acquired Beyond Yoga in 2021. The premium athleisure brand provided the owner of Levi’s with entry into the activewear segment, contributing nearly $100 million to net revenue in FY22. Beyond Yoga opened its first store in 2022, in Santa Monica, Calif., and now has six stores.