Heidi O’Neill: Named CEO and Already Under Attack Before She Has Even Started
The Leadership Leaderboard · May 2026 Walking Into the Fire Heidi O’Neill: Named CEO and Already Under Attack Before She Has Even Started “I also saw firsthand the setbacks a business can face, and the integrity, heart and sheer will it takes to come back.” — Heidi O’Neill, CEO-elect, Lululemon, employee memo, 22 April 2026 Real Moves. Real Lessons. One Leader at a Time. 4 min read Heidi O’Neill was named Lululemon CEO on 22 April 2026. The stock fell 12% the same day. The founder publicly questioned her appointment. And she hasn’t even started yet. Here’s what her story tells us about leadership under fire.