Brands
Verlinvest taps Amit Aggarwal to power early-growth bets in India
MUMBAI: Verlinvest has strengthened its India play by appointing Amit Aggarwal to lead its early-growth investment strategy in the country, a move that signals sharper focus on writing cheques in the $5 to $20 million range. The global consumer-focused investment firm, which manages more than €2 billion, is now gearing up to accelerate activity in India’s booming consumer ecosystem.
Amit joins Verlinvest with more than 15 years of experience across venture capital, technology, strategy and operations. He was most recently principal at Elevation Capital, where he backed emerging consumer tech startups across social, commerce, edtech, content, proptech and travel. His portfolio includes Atlys, Seekho and SolarSquare. His career also spans leadership roles at Meta, a stint as entrepreneur-in-residence at Hero Electronix where he helped build Qubo, and six years at Bain and Company advising private equity and tech clients.
Verlinvest managing director and head of Asia Arjun Anand, said Amit’s blend of operator and investor experience will be pivotal as the firm sharpens its early-growth focus. He noted that Verlinvest aims to deploy an average of $200 million annually in India as consumer brands continue to scale rapidly.
Amit said he was excited to join an investor known for its long-term approach to building category-shaping brands. He added that he looks forward to partnering with founders driving the next wave of consumer innovation and supporting them with capital, insight and operational depth at a crucial stage in their growth.
Verlinvest has been active in India since 2010 and has backed more than 25 consumer companies including Epigamia, Veeba, Purplle, Wakefit and Lahori. The firm plans to make 10 to 15 investments each year across early-growth and growth stages as it expands its presence in one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
