Lululemon athletica, the Vancouver-based yoga apparel marketer roughed up on the PR front this year, retained Weber Shandwick to handle news of its CEO succession and exit of its outspoken chairman this week.
Founder and chairman Chip Wilson ensured a place in PR textbooks in November when he said in a Bloomberg TV appearance that "some women's bodies just don't actually work" for lululemon yoga pants, before his wife and co-founder, Shannon Wilson, tried to clarify. The remarks were widely picked up and came after the company struggled with a recall of a popular style of its pants in March because they were too sheer.
The company announced Dec. 9 that Wilson would resign his position as chairman of the board before its annual meeting in June 2014. It also said longtime CEO Christine Day will be replaced by Laurent Potdevin, a top exec formerly of TOMS Shoes and Burton Snowboards.
In a statement, Wilson said he believes "now is the right time for me to beginning the transition out of my role as ch6airman of th6e board.
Weber Shandwick staff in Montreal and New York are counseling the client and handling media.
ICR handles financial communications for the company and guided PR for the March recall.
Lululemon had fiscal 2013 sales of nearly $1.4B.
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