New hires. This week, Gap Inc. announced two new CEOs, one to lead its Athleta brand and one to run the whole retail business. The Gap Inc. role had sat vacant for more than a year, and Athleta has been without a permanent chief executive since March.

Both of those roles were previously held by women: Gap Inc. CEO Sonia Syngal and Athleta CEO Mary Beth Laughton. The two new hires are both men.

Richard Dickson, a Mattel alum credited with turning around the Barbie franchise, will lead Gap Inc. Chris Blakeslee, the former president of uber-hot brand Alo Yoga, will take over Athleta.

The new hires are a stark departure from recent years in which Gap Inc. has leaned into women’s leadership and serving its female customer base. Syngal left the company after its Old Navy brand stumbled when introducing inclusive sizing in stores, a groundbreaking if poorly executed initiative. And Athleta has made itself a cornerstone of women’s empowerment, sponsoring athletes and launching lines with Allyson Felix, Simone Biles, and Alicia Keys.

Read more at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gap-inc-used-bright-spot-131321527.html