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Interview

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Navigating Digital Transformation at Scale – Insights from Catalyst Brands’ Mike Dupuis

📍New York, USA

In a rapidly evolving retail landscape, few leaders have taken on the challenge of integrating iconic legacy brands with the speed and innovation of digital-first companies quite like Mike Dupuis, Chief Digital Officer of Catalyst Brands. Formed in January 2025, Catalyst Brands brings together powerhouse names like Aéropostale, Nautica, Lucky Brand, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, and JCPenney. With over 1,800 stores and a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, Dupuis has been at the forefront of building a unified digital ecosystem to support these diverse brands. His journey, which started with just two brands in 2019, now spans a vast retail empire, and his insights into scaling digital transformation offer valuable lessons for leaders everywhere.

One of Dupuis’ core challenges has been to create a single, cohesive tech and data infrastructure that can serve the needs of these varied brands. This meant moving from a two-brand portfolio to a multi-brand powerhouse, each with its own tech stack, culture, and customer base. According to Dupuis, the key was creating a shared platform that balances the unique needs of each brand while driving operational efficiencies. This included integrating systems, consolidating vendor relationships, and re-platforming legacy technologies to create a unified digital foundation. His team’s ability to absorb and integrate five major acquisitions in just a few years has transformed Catalyst Brands into a true integration powerhouse.

Dupuis also emphasizes the importance of balancing “building” and “farming” brand equity. In his view, brands that only focus on extracting value from their existing reputations without reinvesting in growth and innovation risk losing relevance over time. This is why he’s focused on both expanding digital capabilities and maintaining the unique identities of each brand in the portfolio. His approach to brand equity is not just about maintaining what exists but actively creating new opportunities for customer engagement and loyalty.

Looking ahead, Dupuis believes that the future of retail will be defined by those who master data and AI. He outlines a roadmap that starts with assisting teams, moves to augmenting their capabilities, and ultimately aims for full automation. As AI continues to disrupt the retail industry, Dupuis’ insights provide a playbook for leaders looking to stay ahead in a fast-changing world. Whether you’re managing a single brand or a diverse portfolio like Catalyst Brands, understanding these digital transformation strategies could be the difference between thriving and merely surviving in the years to come.

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