On this episode of The Global eCommerce Leaders Podcast, co-hosts Michael LeBlanc and Jim Okamura welcome Roberto Croce, former Senior Vice President of International at American Eagle Outfitters, for a deep and insightful conversation on what it takes to build, scale, and sustain retail brands across global markets.
Drawing on a remarkable 30-year career at American Eagle, Roberto shares lessons learned from leading merchandising, eCommerce, commercial operations, and international growth during one of the most transformative periods in retail history. From the rise of e-commerce and mobile commerce to social commerce and global omnichannel expansion, Roberto offers a firsthand perspective on how retail leadership has evolved alongside rapidly changing consumer expectations.
The conversation explores the foundational elements of successful international expansion. Roberto explains why brand equity, product differentiation, local relevance, and strategic market selection remain the cornerstones of global growth. He outlines how retailers must balance consistency in brand positioning with thoughtful adaptation to local market dynamics, cultural nuances, competitive landscapes, and customer preferences.
Jim and Michael also dive into one of the most important topics facing global retailers today: managing international partnerships. Roberto shares practical advice on maintaining brand integrity across distributors, licensees, and local operating partners through strong communication, shared KPIs, data transparency, training, and collaborative execution. The discussion highlights how successful global brands treat partners as true extensions of their organization rather than simply external operators.
The episode also examines global pricing strategy, digital-first market entry, customer acquisition, localization, and the growing importance of data and insights in international decision-making. Roberto discusses how retailers can use eCommerce as a testing ground before making larger investments in physical stores, allowing brands to learn, adapt, and optimize their market approach with greater agility.
Finally, the conversation turns to organizational design and leadership. Roberto offers valuable perspectives on balancing centralized global functions with local market expertise, creating frictionless customer experiences across borders, and building organizations capable of scaling internationally while remaining close to customers.
About:
Michael LeBlancis a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the NRF as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025 and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.
