Levi’s Michelle Gass takes up CEO role, reveals hunt for chief commercial officer

​Levi Strauss & Co. announced on Monday that Michelle Gass has assumed the role of president and CEO, as previously disclosed in December, coinciding with the news the U.S. denim firm has added to its executive leadership team.

Gass follows Chip Bergh, who served as the company’s president and CEO for the previous 12.5 years. Her appointment is “expected to drive a strategic vision focused on accelerating international growth, positioning the Levi’s brand as a head-to-toe denim lifestyle apparel business and transitioning LS&Co.’s operating model to a direct-to-consumer (DTC)-first organization,” according to a press release.

Coinciding with her commencement as CEO, Gass announced that LS&Co. is expanding its executive leadership team with two immediate appointments.

Levi’s chief marketing officer Kenny Mitchell and newly promoted chief merchandising officer Dawn Vitale will join the executive leadership team, which is responsible for setting the company’s overall direction and overseeing all major strategic, financial and operational decisions.

In addition, Gass announced the company’s plans to hire a president and chief commercial officer who will join the executive leadership team and be responsible for shaping our global commercial strategy and accelerating growth and profitability for the Levi’s brand.

“I’m thrilled and honored to guide Levi Strauss & Co. into its next era of growth. LS&Co. is a destination for the very best talent because of its history, its products and its values, and this past year I’ve had the unique opportunity to immerse myself in the business and meet so many members of our exceptional teams around the world. I cannot wait to see what we achieve together,” Gass said.

“The addition of Kenny Mitchell and Dawn Vitale, as well as our new CEO of Beyond Yoga, Nancy Green, brings decades more of proven retail and consumer obsession to an already strong executive leadership team. I’m confident we have the right executive team and company strategies to accelerate our pivot to become a high-performing, DTC-first company.”

Earlier this month, Beyond Yoga, the athletic and lifestyle apparel brand owned by Levi Strauss & Co, announced that its  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.