Overview
Vivien Yeung is an accomplished leader and board member who brings over 28 years of leadership experience building global iconic brands such as lululemon and Kohl’s and leading strategic transformation to drive sustainable, profitable growth. She also has expertise in domestic and international market prioritization and entry strategies, M&A/business partnerships, innovation management, building multi-year strategic plans, and creating a shared long-term vision. In addition to her work at The ExCo Group, Yeung is a member of the boards for Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK) and Open Window School. Having sat on both sides of the table, Yeung has a deep understanding of what it takes to develop and cascade a compelling vision throughout large, complex organizations from an operator’s and director’s point of view.
"Just in terms of chemistry, I feel we are matched in a really great way. She’s very direct, I love that style. She’s a great listener, and she gives great advice. This is not my first time experiencing coaching, but it’s already been very different. I feel like I have a sparring partner. Vivien is really making me challenge myself."
– CEO, International Development Non-Profit
Career History
Most recently, she served as EVP and Chief Strategy Officer for Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE: KSS), responsible for enterprise strategy, innovation, and new business development.
Prior to Kohl’s Corporation, Yeung served in various strategic leadership roles at Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ: LULU) and guided the organization to expand their market reach from 174 stores in four countries in 2011 to 491 stores across 15 countries by 2019. She first served as Vice President of Strategy and later became Chief Strategy Officer. In this later role, she oversaw the company’s enterprise strategy development, new ventures and business development, consumer analytics and pricing, and reported directly to the CEO. She ultimately developed and launched the lululemon selfcare business as General Manager, Venture. In this role, she oversaw business strategy, brand and marketing, product innovation, category management, retail and wholesale development, operations, and overall P&L management.
Previously, Yeung worked as an independent consultant (VMY Management Consulting Co.) where she engaged with non-profits and consumer retail brands on growth strategy and strategic plan development. Her former clients included the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Tommy Bahama, Thrive by Five Washington, and BECU.
Earlier in her career, Yeung also served in consecutive strategic roles at Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX), where the store count grew from under 6,000 to over 16,000 globally during her tenure. She began her career as a consultant at Bain & Company.
Personal
Yeung received her B.A. and M.A. in economics from the University of Cambridge. She also earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She currently resides in Seattle, WA.
