Lululemon’s Chip Wilson receives IDEA award
Chip Wilson.
Lululemon’s Chip Wilson, founder and chairman of Lululemon Athletica Inc., has received the 2013 International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (IDEA), an annual award presented by the U of M and the Associates, a group of more than 260 prominent business leaders who support the Asper School of Business. Wilson spoke to Asper School of Business students on Tuesday, June 4.
He joins past IDEA recipients including, Albert D. Cohen, O.C., Israel H. Asper, O.C., Q.C., Richard Branson, Paul Desmarais, Akio Morita, Ross Perot, Heather Reisman, Dame Anita Roddick, Gerald Schwartz, Peter Munk, Jim Balsillie, Jim Sinegal and last year’s recipient, Stu Clark.
Wilson founded Lululemon Athletica Inc and has been its chairman of the board since 1998. Forbes has ranked Wilson as Canada’s ninth wealthiest person, with a net worth of 2.9-billion. Lululemon boasts a cult following and revenue of $700 million from 137 stores. The majority of the stores are in North America, but Lululemon has store presence in Australia and New Zealand. There are also showrooms in Hong Kong and Great Britain.
Michael Benarroch, dean of the I.H. Asper School of Business, said, “I was delighted to learn that Chip Wilson had accepted the IDEA and am proud that he was nominated by an Asper student in Reg Litz’s innovative IDEA Class. This is an important example of how the school and the business community collaboratively achieve great things.”
Wilson received the IDEA award at a formal dinner at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on June 4, 2013.