Doug Palladini, Former CEO and President, Carter’s; Former Global Brand President, Vans

For Doug, who grew up in the surfing and skateboarding scene of 1970s Los Angeles, the apparel brand Vans didn’t just offer cool shoes, it played a critical role in his coming-of-age story. Thirty years later, when he walked into Vans headquarters as the company’s newest senior marketing director, he was surprised to find that the iconic skate products that were once integral to the company’s DNA were gone without a trace. He set out on a mission to reclaim Vans’ roots—not through nostalgia alone but by balancing its priceless heritage with relentless innovation. And it paid off. As global brand president, he helped skyrocket sales from $350 million to $4.2 billion. In our conversation with Doug, we discuss his brand-building philosophy: that sometimes a company’s future begins in its past.