How Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert Steers a B Corp Through Turbulence

The CEO Diary with Fexingo: Leadership Lessons, Executive Decisions, and Corner Office Stories · Jul 8, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In this episode of The CEO Diary, Lucas and Luna examine how Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert is navigating the outdoor apparel company after founder Yvon Chouinard transferred ownership to a trust and nonprofit in 2022. They unpack the unique governance structure—Earth as the only shareholder—and the real-world tensions it creates: balancing activist-led boycotts, supply-chain decarbonization targets, and maintaining premium product margins. The hosts contrast Patagonia's approach with that of REI and discuss whether the 'benefit corporation' model can scale beyond a niche brand…