The Inner Circle Q&A: Natalie MacLennan, CEO, Dockers

We are so excited to feature Natalie MacLennan, CEO of Dockers, in the Women in Retail Inner Circle Q&A this week. As Dockers’ CEO, Natalie oversees all aspects of Levi’s casual lifestyle brand across product, marketing, operations and commercial. Since joining the Dockers team in 2020, Natalie has been pivotal in transforming Dockers into a larger and more profitable brand. She previously ran the Dockers direct-to-consumer (DTC) business globally, across retail and e-commerce, along with business development, licensing and overall brand strategy. In this Q&A, Natalie discusses the leadership strategies she lives by, how Dockers plans to stay relevant in a rapidly changing market landscape, how she helps foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity within Dockers, and more.

Inner Circle: Tell us about your background and how you landed the CEO role at Dockers.
Natalie MacLennan: I worked at the Boston Consulting Group as a strategy consultant, helping companies grow profitably across the consumer goods sector, including apparel. I actually worked on multiple projects with Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.), which is how I got to know the company. Then, I eventually started running corporate strategy for LS&Co. in 2017. Then, in 2019, I was asked to support a strategy project regarding Dockers, and by the time I finished that project — where we said we would “carve out” the brand and give it renewed focus — I knew I wanted to join the team to transform this amazing brand. I joined the Dockers team in early 2020 right as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and worked across areas including global retail, e-commerce, licensing, and strategy before stepping into the CEO role in May of last year.

Natalie MacLennan, CEO, Dockers

IC: What specific leadership strategies have been instrumental in your career success?
NM: There are two mindsets I lead by: one, it all starts with the consumer; and two, you must always be in service to your team. In retail, everything you do must focus on the consumer. We’re constantly thinking about how each decision we make, idea we generate, and product we create is with the consumer in mind. This is where the best work starts. From there, you need to enable your team to do their best work. At the end of the day, success isn't about you. You’re not the one interacting with consumers daily, uploading content to your e-commerce site, or designing the latest fashion. It’s your team. They're the ones creating the magic that makes the brand thrive. And so, the more you're there to support them, to lift them up, to inspire them, listen to their needs, and help break down boundaries for them — the more you’ll see success. Ultimately, you'll get the best performance and engagement out of them, and that will help you fulfill your leadership objectives.

IC: How do you envision the priorities for Dockers in the year ahead?
NM: The priorities for this year are in line with our long-term strategies. The first is diving growth in what we’re famous for, our pants, through amazing new innovative products and upgrades to our classics. The second is fueling the brand and increasing awareness and consideration with a younger generation, especially in the U.S. market, through marketing, exciting collections and collaborations, and new wholesale distribution where this generation already shops. And the third priority is continuing our strong direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth journey both with our own stores and online, driving growth in existing stores and opening new ones, especially internationally in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Dockers’ DTC business has seen double-digit growth for the last three years. We opened over 30 new stores last year and plan to keep this expansion going.

IC: Can you share some specific initiatives or campaigns that have been successful in revitalizing the Dockers brand for today’s consumer?
NM: Our latest Dockers “Live Originals” campaign exemplifies the direction we’re going in this next phase of the brand — versatile, stylish, and effortlessly original. Launched this month, the second edition of the campaign celebrates the idea that originality isn’t about being the first to do something; it’s about what you do and how you do it. Just like the evolution of the khaki pant — a classic that’s transformed into a staple of everyday casual style. The “Live Originals” campaign features a host of new voices, including American model Taylor Hill, Peruvian singer/songwriter Nicole Zignago, and Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina, alongside returning Dockers Crew ambassadors Jordan Poole, Matthias Dandois, Johnny Salido, and Gael Monfils. By focusing on deeper engagements with brand ambassadors, as well as an expanded presence on social media, we know it will create a halo effect with a wider audience.

IC: Can you discuss any new product developments or innovations that are on the horizon for Dockers?
NM: We have a lot of great new products just hitting the market. We’re innovating on one of our most iconic pants, our signature pant. We've put on a stain defender and a wrinkle-free/iron-free technology and what I love about the stain defender is it's PFA-free, which means it's better for the environment and works amazingly well. These pants are doing extremely well out in the marketplace. It just shows that you can innovate on a true classic. We also just launched our Go series which includes pants as well as shirt jackets and polos. Again, fantastic technology with the addition of more performance.

IC: How do you plan to continue engaging with consumers and staying relevant in a rapidly changing market landscape?
NM: Nearly 40 years ago, Dockers emerged as the office wear khaki and coined casual Friday. It’s only natural to associate the brand with office wear. But as we all know, office culture and work has changed. And so has Dockers. People don’t work in the office five days a week anymore. Today, work looks very different. People have work from home, on the road, at a coffee shop, or even out in nature. People work anywhere and everywhere, and in turn, Dockers, which was traditionally more refined and had a more narrow set of products has changed to become a more versatile brand. We have more casual products. We have products that are even a little bit more active that take you from day to night, from weekday to weekend. With that, Dockers has evolved, just as the workplace has evolved.

IC: How do you foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity within your organization, and why is it important for leadership in the retail sector?
NM: Fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity within an organization is not only important, but vital, and a strategic advantage — especially in the retail sector where understanding and connecting with a diverse consumer base is essential for success. At Dockers, we prioritize inclusivity and diversity through various strategies. I’ll start with inclusivity first, as without an inclusive culture, diversity will not thrive. At Dockers, we emphasize creating an environment where every voice is heard and valued. We understand that we have a responsibility to take action on feedback. We achieve this through various anonymous surveys conducted throughout the year that provide us with valuable insights.

Furthermore, we facilitate ongoing communication through initiatives like our monthly "Chat with Nat" series, where employees can engage with me directly and in small group settings. I also initiated a listening tour when I assumed my role as CEO. This allowed me to hear directly from employees. Based on the results, we implemented action plans that inform our HR strategy and investments. In addition, we support our employees joining in and/or leading employee resource groups and we’ve invested in comprehensive training programs aimed at addressing biases and fostering a culture of inclusion — which becomes the foundation for diversity.

When it comes to diversity, I stand firmly by the statement that Dockers is for everyone and that it must be represented both internally and externally. That is why beyond our internal practices, our commitment to inclusion also extends to our marketing strategies. Over the years we have actively supported key diversity moments such as Black History Month, Pride, Hispanic Heritage, Mother’s and Father’s Day, etc., and have leveraged the voice of our very own employees and featured them in the storytelling around our brand. What we say we stand for externally needs to be true internally as well. In addition to this, as an organization we've implemented flexible work options in our hybrid environment which allow us to hire from more diverse locations other than just San Francisco, and offer benefits and working arrangements that support employees across a range of personal responsibilities. Looking ahead, we’ll be fully implementing diverse interview panels and experimenting with a bar raiser program on culture (which will include a DE&I lens), which will include ERG involvement. To get diversity and inclusion right, it requires a strategy and therefore active investment; and while there's always work to do, Dockers is committed to it.

IC: What's one piece of actionable advice you would offer to our readers who are seeking to succeed both professionally and personally?
NM: Do what you love. Throughout my career, I’ve tried different things, and there have been times when the path forward was blurry. But by following what inspires you and what motivates you, you tend to do a great job and, in turn, you’ll be fulfilled and more likely to succeed. On the personal side, I would say it's incredibly important to draw your own boundaries. They will change over time as your career and personal life evolve, but just like at work when you set priorities, it’s important to remember your life priorities and check in on whether your actions are in line with them. If they’re not, it's time to rethink and change what you’re doing.

This article was originally published by Total Retail's sister brand, Women in Retail Leadership Circle.