Beyond Yoga ropes in ex-Athleta executive Nancy Green as CEO

Beyond Yoga, athletic and lifestyle apparel brand owned by Levi Strauss has announced that co-founder Michelle Wahler will step down as CEO and Nancy Green, former CEO and president of Athleta, will assume the role.

The company said in a statement that Green will join Beyond Yoga as CEO on February 1, 2024 to scale the brand’s continued growth and expansion.

Nancy Green named CEO of Beyond Yoga

Commenting on Green’s appointment, Michelle Gass, Levi Strauss president and incoming CEO said: “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 Levi Strauss’ extensive global resources and capabilities.”

Green’s appointment as CEO is expected to bring in a new era of accelerated growth for Beyond Yoga. In addition to leading Athleta, Green was president and CEO of Old Navy between 2019 and 2022.

“As a purpose-driven leader, I’m inspired by the fact that Beyond Yoga stands for more than just comfort and performance; the brand has created an inclusive, body-positive community that celebrates diversity and giving back. I’m committed to staying true to these values as we continue to build this community and scale this brand for its next chapter of growth,” said Green.

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.

Beyond Yoga founder Michelle Wahler and CFO Jesse Adams step down

“I always believed that Beyond Yoga could be a 1 billion dollar brand and with Nancy’s experience, I look forward to seeing how she takes our vision into the future,” said Wahler.

Since founding Beyond Yoga, the company added, Wahler created an impressive and dynamic team that not only expanded the wholesale business but established a direct-to-consumer business that has consistently grown double digits year over year.

Chief operations officer and CFO Jesse Adams, who has been with the company for more than a decade and was instrumental in its success, also will be stepping down. Wahler and Adams will remain advisors to the company to ensure a seamless transition from the founder to the new CEO.

“Under Michelle’s leadership, Beyond Yoga has grown from an idea to a nearly 100 million dollars omnichannel retailer. Based on the strong foundation she built, we anticipate a smooth transition for our employees, consumers and customers,” said Chip Bergh, president and CEO of Levi Strauss.

Levi Strauss acquired Beyond Yoga in 2021 as part of its strategy to diversify its portfolio. The athleisure brand provided Levi Strauss entry into the high-growth activewear segment, contributing nearly 100 million dollars to net revenue in FY22. Beyond Yoga opened its first store in 2022, in Santa Monica, California, and now has six stores.