Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario climbed to the top of outdoor retail’s mountain, and now she’s heading back down. In an announcement via Fast Company, Marcario said she’s vacating her role, effective today.
Roll the tape: Over Marcario’s six-year tenure as CEO, Patagonia quadrupled sales and became a $1 billion company. Under her leadership, it...
- Launched an in-house venture fund, a sustainable food brand, and a platform for organizing environmental activists.
- Took public political stances, including endorsing candidates in the 2018 midterm elections.
As for the succession plan...it’s murky. Patagonia reps say Marcario had planned to step down for months, but the company is still searching for a permanent replacement.
The timing made retail Twitter wonder if there’s more to the story. A day before Marcario announced her departure, employees and customers released a joint statement claiming the brand hasn’t done enough to promote diversity.
Extra reading: Patagonia was one of the first companies to close stores due to COVID-19. It’s still assessing the damage.
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