Founder & CEO, Creative Beauty & Founding CEO of Gilt Groupe
Founder & CEO, Creative Beauty & Founding CEO of Gilt Groupe
Alexis Maybank has dedicated her career to building innovative and compelling online experiences that connect consumers to their passions and hobbies. A serial entrepreneur who has founded four businesses disrupted major industries, and scaled ideas from conception to significance, she has devoted over 20 years to leading some of the Internet’s most recognized e-commerce businesses and iconic brands, including giants like AOL and eBay. Currently, Alexis is a member of the Board of Directors of 2U inc. and Zero Mass Water. She is Chair of the Board for Girls Who Code.
In 2007, Alexis founded Gilt Groupe and revolutionized the landscape of luxury e-commerce and the way millions of people shop online. As Founding CEO she oversaw all aspects of the company’s development from the idea to nearly a million members, one of the fastest periods of hyper-growth in startup history. By 2014 Gilt Groupe served more than nine million consumers. In 2016, it was acquired by Hudson’s Bay, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue. Alexis, together with Gilt Groupe co-founder Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, is the author of The New York Times bestseller book, By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop. She previously held leadership roles at internet giants AOL and eBay, where she started as an early team member.
In addition, Alexis is a Co-founder and former CEO of Project September, the first immersive, visual shopping platform. On Project September the world's most stylish people show you exactly where and how to buy their favorite brands. Project September bridges the gap between online shopping and social browsing. It is the first platform that allows a deeper, more immediate connection between fashion and design influencers, their audiences, and the brands they love.
Alexis holds a BS and MBA from Harvard. Alexis was named to Crain's "40 Under 40", awarded Ernst and Young's New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award, inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame by the DMA, and received the Endeavor Entrepreneur of the Year. She has received numerous fashion industry awards and recognition, from the Accessories Council for Retail Innovation to Huffington Post Style Game Changer and Footwear News Achievement Award for eTailer of the Year. She has spoken broadly on the topics of e-commerce, digital marketing, mobile commerce, social media and CRM including at Shop.org, the National Retail Federation Annual Convention, TechCrunch Disrupt, FT Business of Luxury Summit, and many more.
As a frequent and celebrated speaker at women's organizations, Alexis is particularly adept at encouraging women to become leaders and find their true potential in the global workplace. Alexis shares her experience generated across four start up endeavors and through her role as an executive at both large corporate tech companies and fast growing businesses.
Women only start 30% of new businesses and receive 12% of venture dollars - and why that's changing.
The store has moved to the pocket, so how do you build, scale and market businesses and services in the mobile era?
In today’s digital world, the customer expects you to know her preferences and build an online experience tailored just to her…how do you do this using today’s cutting edge technology?
How to spot opportunities, build a team to succeed, move fast in a competitive environment and operate at the frontiers of innovation and technology.
It’s critical that companies incorporate and welcome innovation and creativity. Alexis walks through innovative approaches to get your corporate culture to embrace risk taking and foster creativity.
What is the right mix of skills and how do you right the ship if you have made mistakes, are experiencing hyper growth or are facing a turn around situation?