The Direct 60 are brand leaders at the forefront of the direct-to-consumer pivot. Hailing from incumbent (traditionally wholesale) enterprise brands, these calculated risk takers and new adopters are retooling their company infrastructure for this new world where every brand is a direct-to-consumer brand. These leaders continue to embrace technology, innovation, and next-gen strategies to transform their businesses & industry. Beyond the research list, The Direct 60 Insights Report reveals the emerging trends and patterns discovered through the research.

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, The Lead, a research-driven media company, announces The Direct 60 List, a recognition of the top 60 leading executives at heritage and analog D2C brands. The honorees are recognized for developing and improving direct-to-consumer business models in organizations that have traditionally operated wholesale business models or brands that were already D2C but were not born online.

The Direct 60 executives, many of whom had begun to pivot to direct before the pandemic, have been able to rapidly restructure their business models and internal organizations. They have been able to meet customer expectations, use data effectively, communicate new values, promote rapid design, enhance supply chains and adopt market-leading technology.

“We continue to see a steady commitment amongst traditional brands towards investment in direct-to-consumer go-to-market strategy despite economic headwinds, growing competition, and wholesale business picking up strength again. The Direct 60 executives on our list are helping their brands make meaningful progress toward a robust D2C offering while responding to an ever-changing business environment and consumer expectations,” said Sonal Gandhi, Chief Content Officer at The Lead.

Having tracked the direct-to-consumer business model since 2018, The Lead has solidified itself as the leading voice on direct-to-consumer business models. It is uniquely qualified to identify the executives who are adopting these models and organizational structures on behalf of non-digital native brands. By understanding the executives that are leading the adoption of direct-to-consumer, The Lead has been able to identify patterns and trends to forecast where the industry is headed.

Regarding the announcement, Dan Marques, Senior Vice President Global Digital Commerce at Crocs, said, "It is such an honor to be recognized in the Lead's Direct 60 list. Throughout my career, I have always been excited to wake up every day and help drive what’s next in sustainable and profitable growth and create value for consumers. I’m incredibly fortunate to work in such a dynamic and ever-evolving industry."

The Direct 60 List includes; Aaron Detrick, SVP, Direct to Consumer, rag & bone; Alex Baillargeon, Senior Vice President, Digital, Authentic Brands Group; Allison Giorgio, Vice President, Marketing, PUMA; Andrea Moore, Senior Vice President, Digital, E-Commerce & Consumer Insights, NEST New York; Andrew Berg, President, Robert Graham and Avirex; Angela Clark, Head of Digital Studio, Patagonia; Ann Marie Ippoliti, Vice President, Digital Commerce, Michael Kors; Barry McGeough, Global VP, Innovation, Wolverine Worldwide; Benjamin Harris, Chief Commercial Officer, rag & bone; Carolyn Pollock, Chief Marketing Officer, Tailored Brands; Charlie McMillen, Vice President, E-Commerce and Digital, Steve Madden; Christina Rapsomanikis, Vice President, E-Commerce & Digital, North America, Coty; Dan Marques, Senior Vice President, Global Digital Commerce, Crocs; Dana Schwartz, SVP, Global DTC & Digital, Keen; Danielle DiMaiolo Rendini, Head of Retail, American Girl; Dawn Trenson, Vice President of E-Commerce, Fila; Denna Singleton, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Portfolio Transformation, FGX International; Diana Haussling, Vice President - General Manager, Digital Commerce, Colgate-Palmolive; Doug Zarkin, Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Pearle Vision; Drieke Leenknegt, Vice President, Global Marketing, Timberland; Dwayn Catto, Group Vice President, Digital Solutions, PVH; Eddie Strauss, Vice President, E-Commerce, Lands' End; Emily Coppock, Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Shiseido; Emma Taylor, Vice President, North America, Reiss; Frank DeMaria, Vice President, Digital Engineering & Platforms, MillerKnoll; Gabby Hirata, President, DVF; Heath Golden, Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer, Marquee Brands; Jaap van Riel, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Talbots; James Ferolo, Chief Information Officer, Maui Jim; Jennifer Rittmaster, Vice President, Global Consumer Engagement, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics; Joe Milano, Senior Vice President, Global Digital & Customer Experience, Kate Spade; Joel Layton, Vice President, E-Commerce, Marketing & Digital, Shinola; Jose Nino, Vice President of Global E-Commerce & Digital Strategy, U.S. Polo Assn.; Juliette Arnaud, Director of Enterprise Applications, Supreme; Justine Mohr, Chief Revenue Officer, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Karen Grajwer Usdin, Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Digital Officer, Veronica Beard; Karilyn Anderson, GVP, Digital Marketing & CRM, SPARC Group; Katrina Agusti, Chief Information Officer, Carhartt; Laurie Lam, Chief Brand Officer, e.l.f. Beauty; Liz Bacelar, Executive Director, Global Technology Innovation, Estée Lauder, Maggie Winkel, Vice President, Product & Merchandising for Accessories, Under Armour; Mandeep Bhatia, Vice President, Global Digital Product & Omnichannel Innovation, Tapestry; Matthew Schiff, Vice President, E-Commerce, The North Face; Melissa Lefere-Cobb, Senior Vice President/Division Head - Hervé Leger, Centric Brands; Nick Kaplan, Chief Growth & Innovation Officer, Saadia Group; Norma Delaney, Global Vice President, Brand Marketing, HOKA; Priya Buening, Vice President, U.S. Ecommerce and Direct-to-Consumer Operations, Levi Strauss & Co.; Rachel MacPherson, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Global E-Commerce, Marc Jacobs; Rachel Wyatt, Senior Vice President, Head of Digital & Customer Experience, Signet Jewelers; Robert Rizzolo, Chief Merchandising Officer, Marc Jacobs; Samir Desai, Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Abercrombie & Fitch; Sara Tervo, Chief Marketing Officer, Express; Sharonda Weatherspoon, Senior Vice President, Stores, Ralph Lauren; Stephanie Davis, Chief Marketing Officer, Benefit Cosmetics; Stephanie Urban, Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer, Camuto Group; Sue Beckett, Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing & E-Commerce, Lovesac; Suzanne Dominick, Vice President, E-Commerce & Customer Care, David Yurman; Tennille Kopiasz, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Fresh: LVMH; Trevor Shimpfky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Stuart; Ujjwal Dhoot, Chief Marketing Officer, DXL Group                   

The Direct 60 will be honored in person at The Direct 60 Forum on October 20th in New York. This invite-only event features The Direct 60 award ceremony, presentation of The Direct 60 Insights Report, vision talks, panel discussions, and more.

The Direct 60 Insights Report peers into emerging trends and identifies winning strategies from these leading executives who are building their companies for today’s direct world. Today’s brands must shift their priorities, reorient internally, and redefine success metrics. This evolution requires adopting new technologies, redesigning processes, and re-energizing the talent pool and The Direct 60 are taking the first steps. The Lead’s research provides a clear insight into how leading brands are successfully navigating the challenges of the business model transformation and is at the helm of the shift.

The Direct 60 list is presented in partnership with Archive, Bluecore, Reaktor, and SAP.

ABOUT THE LEAD                                
The Lead's mission is to bridge the fashion, retail, and consumer industries with the global Silicon Valley, empowering the industry’s transition. We are a multi-platform media company with research, content, and executive events ranging from 65 people to 2,000. Our community blends iconic brands & retailers, rising digital-first brands, & technology innovators. We focus on the sweet spot in the fashion, retail, and technology markets where innovation is shifting behavior, creating new business opportunities, and opening market share. Digital transformation in the fashion-retail-commerce space is a macro trend gaining in velocity. Our work is to reveal what is coming next and to help our community get ahead of it.

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