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Passionate Speakers, Provocative Conversations.

Great Networking & Key Connections with Global DTC and Cross-Border Ecommerce Leaders!

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What is the Global Ecommerce Leaders Forum – or GELF as we’ve become known to our fans?

GELF’s thought leadership programming and our premier networking opportunities are 100% focused on growing Global DTC and cross-border ecommerce sales.

GELF’s annual in-person events in Los Angeles (normally in Feb but rescheduled to April 21st in 2022) and New York City in late September (Sept 29th 2022- please feel free to register at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/nyc22/ ), GELF’s Regional Dinner Series and other in-person networking & on-demand virtual programming brings together global ecommerce leaders who are passionate about extending the reach of their digital commerce globally.

If you’re just starting to expand your company’s ecommerce reach globally – or have been selling online internationally for years – GELF is for you and your team. Whether you sell direct-to-consumer (DTC) or via a blend of DTC ecommerce sites, marketplaces and traditional B2B wholesale partners, GELF offers retail ecommerce organizations an opportunity to connect with and learn from senior retail executives.

Since launching in 2014, the GELF community has come together dozens of times to also explore regional growth opportunities (GELF LATAM 2019) and conduct deep dives into the most intriguing global markets (GELF’s China Ecommerce Workshop 2019).

In the spring of 2020, GELF launched TechTalks, a series of live virtual and on-demand programming that includes podcasts, webinars and private group discussions including Lunch and Learns, Group e-Thinks and other group conferences and networking events.

Want to hear more? Check out our podcast – Global E-Commerce TechTalks (GETT). If you’re a global ecommerce leader at a direct-to-consumer (DTC) retail brand, don’t be shy about reaching out and getting involved with TechTalks! Email us at speak@globalecommerce.co

GELF’s Resource Center also provides insights on Strategy & Planning, easy access to GELF Downloads, Regional Updates, Interviews with Global E-Commerce Leaders and a Community News section. Check it out – and let us know if you’d like to get involved!

Why Join our Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum Community?

What makes GELF unique is our 100% focus on Global DTC and cross-border ecommerce. 

Since 2014, GELF has been producing content, research and networking opportunities that are 100% focused on growing Global DTC and cross-border ecommerce sales. GELF brings together the voices of US global ecommerce leaders and digital commerce thought leaders and influencers from all around the world.

When the industry went virtual in 2020, GELF’s programming led the way. In March 2020, GELF launched its podcast and has since produced webinars and virtual summits covering a variety of global ecommerce presentations and interviews — all accessible on demand

GELF NYC ’21 was our successful return to in-person networking and learning in conjunction with the CommerceNext team at the Sheraton New York Times Square.  GELF welcomed back an All-Star lineup of speakers and launched the GELF YouTube Channel to showcase our GELF NYC ’21 sessions. Please subscribe to our channel – and stay tuned for more videos!

GELF’s return to the West Coast for GELF LA ’22 was a reunion worth the wait! On April 21st, the GELF community came together in West Hollywood for our 15th Forum at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for a full day of global direct-to-consumer (DTC) and cross-border ecommerce.  Check out the speakers, program and sponsors at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/la2022/

Now it is time to make plans now to head back to New York City and join us at CONVENE Midtown for another full day of global direct-to-consumer (DTC) and cross-border ecommerce! Apply/register here to attend GELF NYC ’22!

We are Specialists in Global Ecommerce

Digital innovation and global DTC ecommerce are exploding globally – for all types of retailers and brands.  One of the GELF community’s most exciting dynamics is the upside potential of digital commerce, which is enormous and growing quickly. International ecommerce is still early in its maturity curve, but gaining share quickly as the global economy rebounds from the pandemic and digital transformation accelerates.

Keeping pace with change in markets around the world can be as daunting as it is exciting for digital professionals. Whether it is digital innovation emerging from China or managing channel conflict in mature markets like Western Europe, global trend watching requires a specialized community of digital professionals. Building and nurturing these connections is GELF’s mission and the passion of our community!

Other ecommerce conferences and communities look at the entire digital retail ecosystem. GELF brings together leaders that manage global DTC and cross-border ecommerce operations and provides them a forum to learn and share information as they network and build their global business.

Speakers at GELF events hail from the world’s top retail ecommerce brands and include the most exciting innovators in the digital commerce world.  Their willingness to share their global ecommerce expertise and their passion for building cross-border community helps GELF deliver high quality content, actionable insights and valuable relationships.

 

We’ve learned a lot from the GELF community since we published the industry’s first benchmarking study on international ecommerce expansion on 2008. Since then, GELF founders have spoken at retail ecommerce conferences around the world including CommerceNext, Shoptalk, Shop.org, NRF, Global Ecommerce Summit (Spain), Online Retailer Conference (Australia), Retail Council of Canada, NACS (Singapore and the UK), and VTEX Day, LATAM’s premier ecommerce conference.  

GELF’s consultants have advised global brands and startups alike, including leading organizations like Nike, Adidas, Luxottica Retail, Harley-Davidson, Baccarat, Wahl Clipper, Chantelle and more.

How to Get Connected & Become Involved

Peer networking and sharing insights has helped drive community-building among digital retail professionals from the earliest days of ecommerce. This openness is one reason that the global ecommerce community is so unique. 

GELF is proud to provide a range of events and programs to encourage networking and raising the profile of our members.

 

Job #1 is to get involved! We’d love to hear your international ecommerce stories, past or present, and how they’ve shaped your career. Here is how you and your colleagues can become part of the growing GELF community:

1) Speak at GELF Events – If you’re interested in sharing your cross-border and international ecommerce experience, email us at speak@globalecommerce.co. GELF speakers represent a broad array of global brands, hot new DTC start-ups, beloved retailers and innovative marketplace sellers. Check out GELF’s past events for a much more expansive overview of GELF speakers!

2) Participate in GELF’s Regional Workshops – In 2019, GELF launched its Regional Workshop Series with GELF LATAM in May and GELF’s China Ecommerce Workshop in September. We’re always open to suggestions about new regional events, so don’t be shy to reach out with ideas! If you’d like to like to speak, sponsor or just attend our upcoming regional workshops, feel free to email us at speak@globalecommerce.co or sponsor@globalecommerce.co

3) Lend your voice to the Global Ecommerce TechTalk (GETT) PodcastGet out ahead of the curve and join GELF’s podcast series.  Whether you’re a seasoned cross-border pro or an up-and-coming global ecommerce executive, we’d like to help you share your international insights. Email us at speak@globalecommerce.co and tell us your story!

4) Join GELF’s Executive Lunch Discussions and other Global Ecommerce Leaders Meet-ups – Do you miss networking at industry events and learning from old colleagues and new friends? GELF’s private virtual executive meetups offer a relaxed, informative and insightful environment where leaders can share insights, discuss industry research, ask questions and get to know each other.

We’re committed to a full state of executive meet-ups in 2021 and want to thank GELF’s community for getting involved in 2020. Our August Lunch-and-Learn Executive Lunch pulled together an elite collection of global ecommerce leaders to discuss strategies and tactics for succeeding during the holidays as the COVID pandemic redefined online shopping. Let’s keep the conversation going!

5) Participate in Global Ecommerce Research and Benchmarking Studies – GELF’s mission is facilitate learning and sharing about cross-border expansion strategies and the supporting best practices driving global ecommerce growth. Primary research is core to this mission and we place the GELF community in the middle of every study we produce. 

6) Contribute to GELF’s Thought Leadership White Papers and Case Studies about Global Ecommerce Expansion

GELF has been creating thought leadership content articulating the importance of investing in cross-border ecommerce operations and international retail expansion for over a decade.

GELF’s content marketing services include a combination of publication formats ranging from research-centric reports and white paper to multi-media formats including video and infographics. Content marketing deliverables educate audiences about key global & cross-border retail & ecommerce trends, opportunities & market dynamics.

GELF’s Diversity Spans the Globe

As global retail brands redouble their efforts to connect directly with shoppers at home and abroad, GELF is committed to providing a digital forum where ecommerce leaders can share, learn and adapt their international strategies to these uncertain times.

GELF is pleased to see our community grow beyond its roots among global ecommerce leaders based in the US. We’ve been excited to see more leaders from DTC brands and traditional wholesale-focused retail distributors join the community in recent years. Titles attending GELF events are also diverse; spanning business disciplines and departments and representing the energy and passions that exist across retail organizations (as highlighted in the analysis below).

In the weeks and months ahead, GELF will be working closely with global ecommerce leaders, their solution provider partners and other industry influencers to create engaging and actionable content. Join us as we help the GELF community make new connections and tighten existing relationships.

Much like our speakers do at live events in LA and NYC – and at GELF’s private networking dinners across the country – the GELF community will use our GELF Tech Talks digital forums to deliver a mix of strategic insights and tactical cross-border To Dos about their global retail expansion practices.

If you’re passionate about global ecommerce, join us for an ongoing series of programming and timely content designed to help the GELF community continue to thrive. Bring your experiences and questions. Leave with insights and answers.

If you are an executive at an online retailer or brand selling direct to consumer and would like to share your cross-border and international ecommerce experiences during our GELF Tech Talks Spring Virtual Programming Series, please email us at speak@globalecommerce.co

Interested in being a sponsor? Please contact sponsor@globalecommerce.co.

GELF would like to pass along our thanks, thoughts and best wishes to all of the companies below that have attended our past events in LA and NYC and GELF's virtual events.

If you'd like to get involved in GELF, email us at speak@globalecommerce.co!

Join us September 29th at GELF NYC '22

Interested in the programming at a GELF event? Check out GELF LA '22 https://bit.ly/gelfla22

We're working on the program for GELF NYC '22 which will be a full day on September 29th 2022

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  • Current State of Global DTC and Cross-border Ecommerce in Key Markets around the World
  • The Path Ahead as International Markets Navigate the Aftermath of the Recent Pandemic
  • Insights into New Global Shopping Journeys as Consumers Re-engage with a New Generation of DTC Retail Ecommerce Brands
  • Insights and Intelligence about How Global Ecommerce Leaders are Getting Closer to the Next Generation of Shoppers
  • And more! Let us know what topics you'd like to explore at speak@globalecommerce.co!
Time
Session
Speaker(s)
September 29th 2022 from 8AM (Breakfast) to 6PM (Closing Reception)
The GELF NYC '22 Program starts at 9AM - don't be late!

GELF NYC ’22 will feature keynote speakers, firesides and breakout panel sessions with global ecommerce leaders.

Register at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/nyc22/

If you are a retailer or executive at a branded manufacturer or brand selling DTC internationally and would like to speak, please email us at speak@globalecommerce.co

Thanks to all the global ecommerce executives that have spoken at GELF events! A special shout-out to GELF keynote speakers and advisors listed below!

If you are an executive at an online retailer or brand selling direct-to-consumer and would like to share your cross-border and international ecommerce experiences, please email us at speak@globalecommerce.co! Solution/service providers interested in participating in GELF's programming can contact us with topics/ideas at sponsor@globalecommerce.co

Tom Davis

Global Digital Operations Director, Cartier

Stacy Reece

Chief Digital Officer, Boardriders

Fred Neil

Global Head of Engagement Marketing, Amazon Music

Janelle Spatz

Director of Operations - Ecommerce, PVH Corp.

Nathan Isaacson

GM Digital, New Balance

Michelle Frank

Director, Global Ecommerce, HARMAN International

Martin Suter

Global VP, Marketplace, ABInBev

June Pai

GM, APAC, Manduka

Jeff Lord

Sr Dir of Global eComm & Retail, Burton Snowboards

Rita Hudetz

COO, Universal Standard

Gary Penn

Global VP of Digital and e-Commerce, Nixon

Isabella Mann

Vice President of Marketing for Asia, PANDORA A/S

Charlie Cole

Chief Executive Officer at FTD

Emma Lawson

VP of E-Commerce, Huda Beauty

Jose Farinas

Presidente Latin America & Global Manager, Wahl Clipper