Chip Bergh

Chip Bergh is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School. Prior to joining HBS, Chip served as president and chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) from September 2011 until January 2024. He also served on the Company’s Board of Directors during this time until his retirement from the Company in April 2024. The company experienced a dramatic turnaround under Chip’s 12+ years as CEO, marked by sustained profitable growth behind purpose-driven leadership. The company’s revenues grew roughly 40% and its market cap increased five-fold during his tenure. The Company returned to the public markets with a successful IPO in March 2019 (NYSE: LEVI).

A self-declared “brand guy,” Chip has led many iconic brands during his 45-year career spanning the U.S., Asia and Europe. Prior to joining LS&Co. as CEO, Bergh had a 28-year career at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in roles of increasing complexity in brand management, general management and executive leadership. Among many accomplishments, Chip led the creation and launch of Swiffer; oversaw the turnaround of Mr. Clean and Old Spice; and was the first P&G executive to lead the iconic Gillette blades and razors business globally following P&G’s $57 billion acquisition of Gillette in 2005. Before P&G, Bergh started his career as a US Army Officer (Air Defense) stationed in West Germany at the height of the Cold War from 1979-1983.

Bergh joined the Board of Directors of HP, Inc (HPQ), the market-leading printing and personal systems company, in 2015 and became Chair of the Board in July 2017. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Pinterest (PINS). Chip previously served on the Board of Directors of VF Corporation (VFC) from 2008-2011 and the Economic Development Board of Singapore from 2000-2005. Bergh is also a Trustee of his alma mater, Lafayette College.

In April 2019, Chip was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine and has been widely recognized for his statements and actions on critical issues like gun-violence prevention, women’s reproductive rights and social and racial justice.