Code Conference

Hi,

Code Commerce is only two weeks away, and we’ve just added two more retail brand leaders to the lineup — Heidi O’Neill, president of Nike’s direct-to-consumer division, and Rachel Roy, the founder of her eponymous fashion brand.

Nike and Rachel Roy have long relied on big-box retailers as a fundamental part of their distribution strategy. But in today’s digital era, they’re using new retail channels and partnerships to connect directly with their customers.

For Nike, that means doubling down on direct-to-consumer.

This summer, the global activewear brand announced a reorganization to make the customer’s evolving needs the centerpiece of company structure. Heidi O’Neill is leading Nike Direct, an initiative that integrates digital sales, direct-to-consumer retail and membership to shape every aspect of the customer journey. We’ll ask O’Neill how Nike will continue to reach and build its customer base.

Rachel Roy is partnering with online retailer Dia&Co to change how plus-size women shop.

The average American woman wears a size 14, yet rarely sees herself on the cover of catalogs and magazines. Roy wants to change that. Together, Rachel Roy and Dia&Co are creating dynamic digital-first retail experiences for this underserved market. Roy will be joined onstage by Dia&Co co-founder and CEO Nadia Boujarwah to discuss why they’re focusing on the plus-size marketplace, and why other brands should seize this opportunity.

Roy and O’Neill are joining a powerful and diverse lineup of commerce all-stars that already includes:

Celebrity chef Mario Batali
Williams-Sonoma CEO Laura Alber
Executives from Amazon Prime Now
Founder-CEOs of Blue Apron and Sweetgreen
Forerunner Ventures star retail investor Kirsten Green
Founders of Glossier, Bonobos and Warby Parker
Uber Chief Brand Officer Bozoma Saint John
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Fanatics Executive Chairman Michael Rubin
Pinterest President Tim Kendall
Heads of BuzzFeed Product Labs and The New York Times’ The Wirecutter

And more to come. See you in two weeks!

The Recode Events Team

More about our speakers:

Rachel Roy
Founder, Rachel Roy
Rachel Roy is the founder of her eponymous brand and a tireless activist for using your voice to encourage change and design the life you want to live. For more than a decade, the Rachel Roy brand has been inspiring women to lead limitless lives. Roy nurtures young design talent through her work with the Woolmark Prize, Who’s Next/Vogue Mexico and CFDA incubator programs. She founded Kindness Is Always Fashionable, which helps women artisans create sustainable income for their families.

Heidi O’Neill
President, Nike Direct
As president of Nike Direct, Heidi O’Neill is responsible for leading the company’s retail, Nike.com and Nike+ digital experience business globally. Leading with mobile, she has helped transform consumer experiences and services by uniting physical and digital retail to serve consumers. At the end of FY17, the Nike Direct business reported more than $9 billion in revenue. During her 19 years with Nike, O’Neill has held senior leadership roles across marketing, apparel and retail.