President, DTC
Steven Madden, Ltd
Josh is the President of DTC and Global Digital at Steven Madden, Ltd. In this role, he is responsible for the strategic direction of the E-commerce, Marketing, Retail and Outlet divisions with full operational and financial responsibility for the businesses. As the global GM of the e-commerce division, he leads full-funnel marketing strategy, social and influencer marketing, UX, CX, analytics and CRM to provide innovative thinking around long-term strategy, scalable platform solutions, and operational workflows across a portfolio of five brands including Steve Madden, Dolce Vita, Betsey Johnson and Blondo. He also leads the retail and outlet store divisions for Steve Madden with responsibility over the field leadership, merchandising, planning & allocation, store design, operations and construction. Josh has over 18 years of experience in the retail digital commerce industry. Prior to joining Steve Madden, he worked at Cole Haan, Tory Burch, Victoria’s Secret, and Ralph Lauren. Josh received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Kenyon College.
Tuesday Jan 13
1:00pm - 1:30pm
Klaviyo Stage
In an era when retail headlines change by the hour and technology promises to solve everything from inventory accuracy to world peace, it’s getting harder to separate hype from truth. In this lively, candid, and unscripted conversation, two seasoned retail executives go head-to-head—good-naturedly challenging each other on what’s real, what’s noise, and what’s actually transforming the industry.
From the future of stores to the promise (and pitfalls) of AI, from supply chain myths to leadership lessons learned the hard way, they will unpack decades of experience with humor, humility, and a touch of friendly rivalry. Expect bold opinions, myth-busting moments, and stories you probably won’t hear anywhere else.
Whether you're trying to see through the buzzwords or chart your own career path in a rapidly shifting landscape, this session offers an inside look at what’s fact, what’s fiction, and what every retail professional should really pay attention to next.
