# Michelle Gass

> Michelle Gass is the president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., the first woman to lead the 172-year-old denim company. A chemical engineer by training, she built Starbucks' Frappuccino into a $2 billion brand, ran Kohl's for five years, and is now reshaping Levi's into a direct-to-consumer denim lifestyle retailer.

- **Role:** President & Chief Executive Officer at Levi Strauss & Co.
- **Organizations:** Levi Strauss & Co., PepsiCo (Board of Directors), The Business Council
- **From:** Lewiston, Maine, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S., Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MBA, University of Washington, Honorary Doctorate, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- **Known for:** Built Starbucks Frappuccino into a $2 billion brand, Led Starbucks' European expansion as EMEA president, Five years as CEO of Kohl's, launching Sephora at Kohl's and Amazon returns partnership

## Career timeline

- **1990** — Joined Procter & Gamble in product development after graduating from WPI.
- **1996** — Moved to Starbucks as brand manager for Frappuccino.
- **2000s** — Grew Frappuccino into a $2 billion business; later led Seattle's Best.
- **2011** — Named president of Starbucks EMEA, leading European expansion.
- **2013** — Joined Kohl's as Chief Customer Officer.
- **2015** — Promoted to Chief Merchandising and Customer Officer at Kohl's.
- **2018** — Became CEO of Kohl's Corporation.
- **2019** — Elected to PepsiCo Board of Directors.
- **2023** — Joined Levi Strauss & Co. as President.
- **2024** — Appointed CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., the first woman to lead the company.
- **2026** — Named Eller College of Management Executive of the Year.

## Achievements

- Built Starbucks Frappuccino into a $2 billion brand
- Led Starbucks' European expansion as EMEA president
- Five years as CEO of Kohl's, launching Sephora at Kohl's and Amazon returns partnership
- First woman CEO in Levi Strauss & Co.'s 172-year history
- Named to Fortune's Most Powerful Women in Business
- Fortune Businessperson of the Year
- NRF Visionary award (2020)
- Honorary Doctorate, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2025)

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Fortune profile on her Levi's turnaround after the Kohl's exit.
- **2026-01** — Named Eller College of Management 2026 Executive of the Year.
- **2025-11** — Inside Retail profile on her 'retail scientist' operating model.

## Links

- Website: https://www.levistrauss.com/who-we-are/leadership/michelle-gass/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegass/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LeviStraussCo
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/levistraussco/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michelle-gass
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-30