Chip Bergh
Former president and chief executive of Levi Strauss & Co.
Chip Bergh is the American executive who led Levi Strauss & Co. as president and chief executive for more than 12 years until January 2024. He transformed the denim company from a mainly men's, US wholesale bottoms business into a global, direct to consumer led apparel group and took it public in 2019.
| Role | Former president and chief executive of Levi Strauss & Co. |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Levi Strauss & Co. |
| Chief executive | 2011 to January 2024 |
| Successor | Michelle Gass |
| Retired | 26 April 2024 |
| Known for | Levi's turnaround and 2019 IPO |
Who is Chip Bergh?
Chip Bergh is the former president and chief executive of Levi Strauss & Co., the San Francisco based company behind the Levi's denim brand. He led the company from 2011 until January 2024, when Michelle Gass, the company's president, succeeded him. He formally retired in April 2024.
Career
Bergh joined Levi Strauss & Co. as chief executive in 2011. His tenure included several landmark moments:
- 2011: becomes president and chief executive
- 2016: publishes an open letter asking customers not to bring firearms into Levi's stores and offices
- March 2019: Levi Strauss & Co. returns to the public markets
- November 2022: succession plan announced, with Michelle Gass as president
- 29 January 2024: Gass becomes chief executive
- 26 April 2024: Bergh retires
On his departure he said it had been an incredible privilege to lead the company as chief executive for the last 12 years.
Influence on the fashion business
Bergh is credited with repositioning Levi's for a changing market. According to the company's succession announcement, he shifted the business from a predominantly men's, US wholesale bottoms operation to a global, direct to consumer driven model, and revitalised its women's business. Levi's broadened its offer into tops and other categories, and in 2019 Bergh reported that the brand had grown in all three regions across men's, women's, tops and bottoms.
The 2019 initial public offering brought one of fashion's oldest brands back to the stock market and gave investors a direct view of the denim category. Bergh also made Levi Strauss & Co. one of the more outspoken American apparel companies on public issues, including gun safety and voting rights, positions that were widely reported at the time.
The planned nature of his succession was also notable. The handover to Gass was announced in November 2022, more than a year before she took over, giving the company, its wholesale partners and investors a long period of continuity at the top.
Why it matters
Chip Bergh's tenure is a reference case for reviving a heritage apparel brand. His strategy of diversifying beyond men's bottoms, building direct channels and listing the company publicly has shaped how other heritage brands think about growth, and he handed over to a successor chosen through a long, planned transition.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chip Bergh?
Chip Bergh is the former president and chief executive of Levi Strauss & Co. He led the company from 2011 until January 2024, took it public again in 2019 and retired in April 2024.
Who succeeded Chip Bergh at Levi's?
Michelle Gass, who joined Levi Strauss & Co. as president in a planned succession announced in November 2022, became chief executive on 29 January 2024.