Alexandra Wilkis Wilson

Founder & Chief Merchandising Officer of Gilt Groupe 

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson has over thirteen years of international experience in luxury goods and retail. She is Founder and Chief Merchandising Officer of Gilt Groupe, an innovative online lifestyle shopping destination that launched in November 2007 revolutionizing the fashion industry and ecommerce in general. Gilt Groupe was valued at $1 billion in the spring of 2011.

Prior to co-founding Gilt Groupe, Alexandra oversaw retail operations at Bulgari, managing 15 North American stores. Before that she managed Leather Goods Sales Planning for Louis Vuitton North America. She began her career working for three years in investment banking at Merrill Lynch predominately based in London. She subsequently worked as a consultant for retail guru Marvin Traub at Financo Inc.

Alexandra holds a B.A. from Harvard College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Alexandra speaks five languages.

Alexandra has been featured in many print publications including: The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, Crain's, Women's Wear Daily, The Associated Press, The LA Times, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Chicago Tribune, The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Miami Herald, Vogue, Town and Country, O Magazine, InStyle and several Niche Media and Modern Luxury magazines. She also makes frequent on-air TV appearances on: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, MTV, PBS, Telemundo and E!.

Alexandra has won a number of awards and recognitions including:

• Ernst and Young Metro New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award for eCommerce, 2010
• Crain's The Next Generation: Emerging Leaders Under 40, 2009
• Endeavor Entrepreneur of the Year, 2010
• Member of the Vogue 100, since 2009
• Ranked #4 of the Silicon Alley 100, 2009
• Huffington Post Style Game Changer, 2009
• NY Daily News "Fashion's 50 Most Fashionable", ranked #18, 2010
• Voted in top 10 Most Powerful Moms: Entrepreneurs by Working Mother, 2011
• Member of the eHow 100

Alexandra serves as a member of the Board of Directors for three not-for profits: Dress for Success Worldwide, Fashion Group International and the Harvard Business School Club of New York. She is passionate about philanthropy and is also involved in other charities including: Pro Mujer, Endeavor Global and the Robin Hood Foundation. She is an active fundraiser for her alma maters The Brearley School, Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University. She serves on several New York start-up Advisory Boards, is an official mentor for Tech Stars and an unofficial mentor for many budding entrepreneurs. She lives in New York City, her hometown, with her family.