Eileen Mahoney
CIO
PVH Corp.
Briefly describe your organization’s and your team’s global footprint.
PVH’s brand portfolio includes the iconic Calvin Klein, TOMMY HILFIGER, Van Heusen, IZOD, ARROW, Warner’s, Olga and Geoffrey Beene brands, as well as the digital-centric True&Co. intimates brand. We market a variety of goods to consumers under these and other nationally and internationally known owned and licensed brands in over 40 countries.
Technology Process Group (TPG) operates globally with 600+ associates located in North America, Asia, India and South America.
What do you enjoy most and what is the biggest challenge about leading global teams, operations and strategy?
I like to drive our global Technology Process Group (TPG) team with an entrepreneurial spirit, leveraging the strength and power of our associates to bring innovative solutions to the table that can help us create an agile, nimble and efficient operating system. My goal, which is always top of mind, is to continue to simplify our enterprise architecture, finish digitizing the application portfolio and provide end-to-end solutions to our business partners.
The pandemic has been difficult on everyone but helped improve the communication and workflow cross-functionally and within our global team. Video and collaboration platforms such as Cisco’s Jabber, WebEx and Microsoft Teams, as well as remote access/VPN solutions, became our go-to tools overnight to allow our teams to effectively work remotely. We started utilizing these tools to host monthly town halls, virtual coffee hours and team happy hours to keep everyone engaged and to help maintain our PVH family culture.
At PVH, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our infrastructure so all regions can be working on the same platforms. We are on a multi-year journey to implement SAP S4/Hana Fashion platform globally, which will allow all businesses by brand and region to run on a global solution for all our business channels — wholesale, retail and e-commerce. This is already proving to be a trailblazing solution in helping PVH function more efficiently.
What is your advice to other global business leaders on driving global standardization while being regionally responsive?
I realized how important technology is now, more than ever, in driving change, and at times leading the change, but also in encouraging companies from a mindset perspective to really adopt it and allow it to be the new way that they operate.
How do we get there? The global pandemic has challenged and encouraged us to be more collaborative than ever. This is a great opportunity to look at how technology can change the operating model and empower your employees around the world to work together, be more creative and think about how we want to operate in the future.
How would you describe your global culture? How is this translated or manifested in your worldwide locations?
PVH has cultivated an inclusive environment where every individual is valued and every voice is heard. We strive to foster a workplace culture where all associates feel empowered to be themselves and can count on us to provide opportunities of advancement and growth.
Over the last year, I have been amazed by my team and what we have overcome together to continue to drive our business forward. Our associates have risen to the challenges of navigating the global pandemic across the world, and getting through them as one team. I will continue to encourage this partnership and collaboration and find new ways for our associates to contribute and make a difference in building the exciting future of PVH.
Leaders in multinational companies have an enormous impact on the world. How should global business and technology leaders be driving change and creating a better world for everyone to live in?
As a female leader in IT for 30 years, I look for any opportunity to mentor other women and to help ensure the road is well paved for our future female leaders. Within PVH, I am a founding member of our women’s business resource group, dedicated to creating opportunities of empowerment, professional development and growth. At my alma mater, Pace University, I help bring awareness to the many career paths available at their fingertips, and how to properly prepare for them.
I want to spend more time showing women the true depth of tech. Today, there’s nothing that it doesn’t touch. There are so many ways for women to get involved; we just have to give women the opportunity to have the experience.
Evanta Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
by CIOs, for CIOs
Join the conversation with peers in your local CIO community.