SONIA SYNGAL NAMED GAP INC. CEO
Gap Inc. has named Sonia Syngal, an accomplished retail leader and CEO of the company’s Old Navy business since 2016, as the company’s next chief executive officer, effective March 23rd. Syngal replaces Art Peck, who left the company in November.
She will also join the Gap Inc. Board of Directors. As Gap Inc.’s new CEO, Syngal’s top priority will be strengthening the performance of the portfolio.
“To lead the company into its next chapter, we sought a dynamic leader who could bring a deep respect for our customers and make the decisions necessary to deliver value from our portfolio of brands over the long term,” said Bob Fisher, interim Gap Inc. CEO and current chair of the Gap Inc. Board of Directors. “Sonia has all of the characteristics and experiences needed to effectively execute against the work ahead. She is an excellent operator who drives innovation and decisive action, and she leads with both vision and heart.”
Syngal led Old Navy from $7 billion to $8 billion in sales in just three years, expanding its North American presence to more than 1,200 stores in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, scaling its e-commerce site to the number four largest apparel site in the U.S. and building competitive omnichannel capabilities. Prior to that, she was executive vice president of global supply chain and product operations, responsible for managing Gap Inc.’s global supply chain and redefining a best-in-class product-to-market model for its portfolio of brands.
Since joining Gap Inc. in 2004, she has served in key leadership and general management roles including managing director for the company’s Europe business, senior vice president for Gap Inc.’s international division and international outlet division.
Prior to joining Gap Inc., Syngal had a long career in Fortune 500 product companies, including Sun Microsystems where she led manufacturing operations, logistics and supply chain management, and at Ford Motor Co. where she held roles in product design, quality, and manufacturing engineering.
“It’s an honor to build on this company’s rich heritage and lead our nearly 130,000 employees in transforming our business and operations to successfully compete in the future,” added Syngal. “I’m committed to fully realizing the potential of our portfolio and the advantage of our scale, with a focus on strengthening the love that our millions of customers have for our brands. To do that, we must better prioritize initiatives and capabilities that will improve execution and drive value creation.”
The company also announced that Board member Bobby Martin will take the role of executive chairman, effective March 23rd. Martin has extensive experience in the retail world, having served as president and CEO of Wal-Mart International, as a former director at Dillard’s Inc., and as a member of the Gap Inc. Board of Directors since 2002.
