H&M Group's Linda Leopold steps down as head of AI strategy after seven years
H&M Group, the Swedish fashion giant known for its global retail footprint and tech-forward initiatives, has announced the departure of Linda Leopold, who served as Head of AI Strategy. After seven years in strategic leadership roles, Leopold is stepping down to focus on consulting, writing, and speaking engagements centred on artificial intelligence and its ethical development across industries.
Leopold joined H&M Group in 2018 and held several key roles within the company's growing AI division. As Head of AI Policy, she played a critical role in launching and expanding the brand's Responsible AI programme. Under her guidance, H&M Group established frameworks for digital ethics and adopted strategic approaches to implementing generative AI technologies.
'These years were extraordinary—not only because I had the opportunity to help shape H&M's AI direction, but also because I witnessed AI evolve at lightning speed,' Leopold wrote on LinkedIn. 'I'm particularly proud of building the Responsible AI programme from the ground up and contributing to the global conversation on ethical AI.'
Her leadership earned international recognition. In 2022, Forbes named her one of the world's nine most influential women in AI. Before her time at H&M Group, Leopold worked as an innovation strategist bridging fashion and technology and also served as editor-in-chief of the Scandinavian fashion and culture magazine Bon.
'Now it's time for the next chapter,' she added. 'With AI at such a pivotal point, I want to help guide its development across different industries and organisations.'
Leopold's exit comes as H&M Group continues its push into digital innovation. Earlier this month, the brand launched a new denim capsule collection powered by digital twin technology —part of a larger strategy to integrate generative AI into storytelling and customer engagement. According to Chief Creative Officer Jörgen Andersson, the goal is to create emotional connections with consumers without diluting brand identity. The first drop debuted on 2 July via H&M's global online store, with more launches planned this fall.
While investing in new technologies, H&M Group also faces mounting economic pressures. The company reported a 5% year-over-year decline in net sales for the second quarter, falling to SEK 56.7 billion. However, operating profit rose slightly to SEK 5.9 billion—beating analyst forecasts. The group also improved inventory management, though deeper price cuts are expected in the third quarter as customers become more cautious with spending.
'We're seeing greater price sensitivity among customers due to ongoing uncertainty,' Group CEO Daniel Erver said during the latest earnings call.
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