Dec 11 (Reuters) – Lululemon Athletica said its CEO Calvin McDonald will step down in January as the yogawear maker navigates a challenging consumer environment in the United States.
Coca-Cola and Altria also named new CEOs recently, as the consumer sector goes through a flurry of leadership changes against the backdrop of tariff pressures, an uncertain economy and a choppy consumer spending backdrop.
Here are some of the major CEO changes among global consumer goods companies in the past year.
Company Date of Details
Announcemen
t
Lululemo December Lululemon
n 11, 2025 Athletica said its CEO
Athletic Calvin McDonald will
a step down
in January
after about seven years at
the helm.
The company
named its finance chief
Meghan Frank and chief
commercial officer André
Maestrini as co-interim CEOs
while it searches for its
new boss.
Altria December Altria announced that CEO
11, 2025 Billy Gifford, who has led
the tobacco giant since
2020, will retire, effective
May 14, 2026.
The company announced
Gifford will be succeeded by
finance head Salvatore
Mancuso.
Coca-Col December Coca-Cola named COO Henrique
a 10, 2025 Braun as its new CEO,
effective March 31, 2026.
Braun succeeds James
Quincey, who is stepping
down after nine years at the
helm.
Kohl’s November Kohl’s Corp named retail
Corp 24, 2025 veteran Michael Bender as
its permanent CEO, after he
served as the interim chief
since May.
Bender replaced Ashley
Buchanan, who was fired for
a personal relationship with
a vendor.
Walmart November The company said Doug
14, 2025 McMillon, who has been
heading the retail
bellwether since 2014, will
retire in January 2026.
John Furner, McMillon’s
successor, currently serves
as CEO of Walmart U.S. and
has held leadership roles at
the company.
Nestle Nestle dismissed its CEO,
September Laurent Freixe, a year after
1, 2025 appointing him, following an
investigation into an
undisclosed romantic
relationship with a direct
subordinate that breached
the company’s code of
conduct.
Freixe was replaced by
Philipp Navratil, CEO of
Nestle Nespresso, on
September 1.
Target August 20, The retailer named longtime
2025 company veteran Michael
Fiddelke as its CEO,
replacing retail industry
bigwig Brian Cornell,
effective February 1, 2026.
Procter July 28, Procter & Gamble said CEO
& 2025 Jon Moeller is stepping away
Gamble from the role, to be
succeeded by Chief Operating
Officer Shailesh Jejurikar.
Diageo July 16, The Johnnie Walker whisky
2025 and Guinness beer maker’s
CEO, Debra Crew, stepped
down after two years in the
job, with finance chief Nik
Jhangiani taking over in the
interim.
Kenvue July 14, The Band-Aid and Tylenol
2025 maker fired its CEO Thibaut
Mongon, laying what some
investors expect will be the
groundwork for an eventual
sale of the entire company
or pieces of it, and named
director Kirk Perry as
interim CEO.
Hindusta July 10, Hindustan Unilever named
n 2025 Priya Nair as managing
Unilever director and CEO, replacing
Rohit Jawa well before the
completion of his five-year
term as the company’s chief.
Hershey July 8, Hershey named burger chain
2025 Wendy’s chief Kirk Tanner as
its CEO, effective August
18, replacing Michele Buck,
who is set to retire.
Stanley June 30, The power tools maker
Black & 2025 appointed operations chief
Decker Christopher Nelson as its
next CEO and president,
effective October 1,
succeeding Donald Allan Jr.,
who is set to retire.
Unilever February The company ousted chief
25, 2025 executive Hein Schumacher,
replacing him with finance
chief Fernando Fernandez.
(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt and Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrea Ricci, Anil D’Silva and Alan Barona)
