Chip Wilson

Born April 25, 1955 in Los Angeles, California, Dennis "Chip" Wilson is an American-Canadian businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He grew up in an athletic environment; his father was an ice hockey and football player, and his mother was a gymnast. After postponing his education to work in Fairbanks, Alaska for the oil industry, Wilson returned to Calgary and graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Calgary.

In 1979, Wilson founded Westbeach Snowboard Ltd, a retail apparel company selling clothing targeted at the surf, skate, and snowboard markets. He sold Westbeach in 1997 and founded Lululemon Athletica in 1998. In 2004, he was named Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year for Innovation and Marketing by Ernst & Young. Wilson was CEO of Lululemon until 2005, when he sold a 48% stake to private equity firms Advent International and Highland Capital Partners. He remained on the board until 2015. Wilson is credited with starting the "athleisure" retail category, now a $100-billion-a-year global business.

Wilson is widely regarded as the progenitor and a pioneering figure of the athleisure phenomenon, which has permeated mainstream North American society since its emergence in 2014. With his wife, he established the Chip and Shannon Wilson School of Design at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, committed to educating students in innovative design for fashion, interiors, graphics, product, and technical apparel. Additionally, they founded Imagine1Day, a non-profit organization committed to bringing quality education to all Ethiopians funded free of foreign aid by 2030. As of March 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at $5.7 billion USD.

Career History

• 1979–1997: Founder and CEO, Westbeach Snowboard Ltd
• 1998–2005: Founder and CEO, Lululemon Athletica
• 2005–2013: Chairman, Lululemon Athletica
• 2018–Present: Co-Founder and Partner, Amer Sports (20% owner)
• 2025–Present: Author and thought leader on technical apparel industry

What Chip Wilson could bring to his current role at Amer Sports: Wilson's demonstrated expertise in building culture-driven companies combined with his visionary approach to technical apparel innovation positions him to guide Amer Sports' strategic direction. His experience transforming consumer perception of athletic wear through community-based branding and functional design excellence could drive growth across Amer Sports' portfolio of premium outdoor and sporting goods brands, particularly in emerging markets like China where Anta Sports is the largest sportswear manufacturer.