Shaz Kahng

Shaz Kahng is a visionary leader and inventive thinker who is passionate about consumer-focused businesses. A serial board director and CEO, Kahng is adept at turning around and scaling businesses in retail, apparel, footwear, consumer goods, and consumer tech and generating business and brand value.

Kahng brings a wealth of experience running companies like Gymboree, Lucy Activewear, and Nike and working with brands like Staples, Carters, Sephora, Tiffany, Levi Strauss, Macy's, Quaker Oats, Kraft, and P&G. As the first female to hold a global business P&L at Nike, Kahng led a turnaround of the Nike Cycling business making it profitable for the first time and accomplished this in record time. As CEO of Lucy Activewear, Kahng and her team reinvented the company and achieved profitability in 13 months, nearly two years ahead of corporate expectations. She has served on the boards of children’s apparel retailer Gymboree and OMSignal, a biometric apparel company.

She currently serves on the public corporate board for GoPro. Kahng is also an advisor to PE and VC backed businesses and is on the Investor Advisory Council of AVG Funds, a venture capital firm. Kahng is also the author of two award winning novels, The Closer and Smashers Synched, about the first female CEO of a sports company and the secret society of professional women (Wharton graduates), called the Ceiling Smashers, who help her succeed. An experienced public speaker, she recently gave a Talks At Google speech entitled "The Superpowers of Ceiling Smashers."

Driven by a lifelong desire to learn, Kahng has been a scientist, a consulting partner, an e-commerce expert, and a brand and marketing strategist. She is fueled by her desire to make a positive impact, lead with honor, work collaboratively, and have some fun. One of the most rewarding aspects of her career has been coaching and mentoring others.

Kahng is married and the mother of twin girls. She is also a Certified Rescue SCUBA diver, practices Tae Kwon Do, and is a golfer who dreams of having a single digit handicap.