• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
LeadershipRetail

Gap CEO Sonia Syngal steps down amid struggling sales

By
Paige McGlauflin
Paige McGlauflin
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Paige McGlauflin
Paige McGlauflin
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 11, 2022, 9:36 PM ET
Sonia Syngal
Sonia SyngalCayce Clifford for Fortune

Gap Inc. president and CEO Sonia Syngal is leaving the apparel retailer effective immediately after just a little over two years at the helm.

Bob Martin, Gap Inc. executive chairman and former president and CEO of Walmart International, will serve as interim president and CEO until a replacement is found, according to an announcement from the company on Monday. The company also announced that Horacio Barbeito, former president and CEO of Walmart Canada, will join the company as CEO of its Old Navy brand starting Aug. 1.

“With an exceptional and industry-leading CEO for Old Navy now appointed, I am thankful to have the board’s support in stepping down, ushering in a new opportunity for fresh perspective and rejuvenated leadership to carry Gap Inc. forward,” Syngal said in a statement.

In the last year, things soured at the parent company, which also oversees the Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands. Battered by declining sales and supply chain struggles, the company’s stock saw a steady decline following a nearly $36-per-share peak in May 2021. These problems were only exacerbated at Old Navy, the company’s top revenue generator. The failed expansion of the brand’s plus-size offerings led to excessive inventories in extra small and extra large sizes and the departure of CEO Nancy Green in April.

In the same announcement, Gap said it expects net sales to decline in the high-single-digit range and to incur $50 million in air freight expenses in the second quarter. The company also said it is taking an “aggressive approach” to promotional activities, which it expects will negatively impact its gross margin.

Syngal was promoted to CEO in March 2020, following the abrupt departure of former CEO Art Peck and the failure to spin off its Old Navy operations. Syngal was leading Old Navy operations at the time, where she oversaw $1 billion in sales growth over three years and the expansion of an e-commerce business. 

Syngal found some success during her tenure as Gap’s CEO, though. In the early months of the pandemic, she created a $130 million sales opportunity by repurposing fabric to sell face masks at store registers. She also scaled back the company’s long-struggling Gap and Banana Republic brands.

“Amidst significant global disruption, social unrest and economic instability, Sonia had an immediate impact as Gap Inc. CEO, establishing a clear strategic direction and cultural identity that has united this global enterprise as a force for good with powerful brands poised to stand the test of time,” Martin said in a statement.

Syngal was named to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list twice, in 2020 and 2021. She was also one of 44 female CEOs on this year’s Fortune 500.

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Paige McGlauflin
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

American Economist Robert Solow
EconomyProductivity
Employees using AI are working faster, but the economy isn’t more efficient. A look at what happened in the pre-Internet era might explain why
By Tristan BoveMay 27, 2026
9 hours ago
man giving child keys to home
EconomyWealth
A study finds escaping your income bracket no longer means building wealth. That disconnect may be what’s driving consumer pessimism to record highs
By Jake AngeloMay 27, 2026
11 hours ago
Sanofi is building its own AI ecosystem to give the French pharma giant an edge
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
Sanofi is building its own AI ecosystem to give the French pharma giant an edge
By John KellMay 27, 2026
11 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
EconomyWealth
Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax
By Tristan BoveMay 27, 2026
12 hours ago
‘PTO-maxxing’ is the summer hack turning 15 vacation days into 49 days off
SuccessVacation
‘PTO-maxxing’ is the summer hack turning 15 vacation days into 49 days off
By Sydney LakeMay 27, 2026
13 hours ago
The unlikely origin of a $2.5 billion hospitality unicorn: a bored teenager working the night shift at his family business
Workplace CultureHospitality
The unlikely origin of a $2.5 billion hospitality unicorn: a bored teenager working the night shift at his family business
By Catherina GioinoMay 27, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
7 days ago
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
North America
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
By Jocelyn Gecker and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 27, 2026
15 hours ago
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
AI
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
By Sasha RogelbergMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.