Q&A With Top Women in Retail Honoree Katie Bongiovanni, Senior Vice President, Digital, Peter Millar and G/FORE

Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) recently released its 16th annual Top Women in Retail report. The valuable resource highlights female executives who impressed our Editorial team as well as colleagues from across the industry. One such woman was Katie Bongiovanni, senior vice president, digital, Peter Millar and G/FORE. Here’s a sampling of Katie’s interview featured in the report.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle: Given growing demand for premium, athleisure-inspired golf apparel and the projected growth in the high-end golf wear market, how are you shaping Peter Millar and G/FORE’s digital ecosystem to both capture new golfers (younger, more fashion-/lifestyle-oriented) and retain traditional core customers, while balancing heritage brand values with innovation and inclusivity?
Katie Bongiovanni: Our digital ecosystem starts with a clear point of view of our consumer, grounded in curiosity and an evolving understanding of how people engage with our brands. In partnership with our brand marketing and data teams, we’re shaping a road map that balances near-term priorities with longer-term opportunities for growth, ensuring our choices remain intentional and consumer led. 

Peter Millar and G/FORE are two distinct brands with unique voices. Beyond traditional demographics, we focus on consumer mindset to guide storytelling, channel strategy, and go-to-market execution. This allows us to welcome new customers while continuing to serve our loyal core with relevance and authenticity. At the same time, we’re connecting insights across touchpoints to empower teams to act on them. The result is a more cohesive, intentional consumer experience — one that honors each brand’s heritage while evolving to meet changing expectations.

WIRLC: Digital retail has transformed dramatically over the last decade. Which skills have you found most important to continually develop in order to stay ahead, and how do you keep yourself and your team current with emerging technologies, channels and customer behaviors?
KB: Digital has been in a constant state of transformation for as long as I’ve worked in it. Staying effective in this space requires an appetite for change, curiosity, and the ability to evolve as consumer expectations shift. The most important skills I continue to develop are learning agility, customer-centric thinking, and intentionality. I’m a student of the consumer experience and pay close attention to behavior shifts, listening first and staying close to how people interact with brands across channels. I follow a wide range of brands on social, subscribe to many more via email, and look for patterns in how experiences are changing. 

Within the Digital team, we intentionally create space for shared learning. We have an ongoing chat called “Outside Thinking In,” where the team regularly shares what they’re seeing — online experiences, in-store activations, thought leadership, podcasts, and emerging ideas. This keeps us connected to what’s happening beyond our own category and sparks productive discussion. 

Keeping digital transformation at the forefront of our conversations doesn’t mean chasing every trend. Instead, it helps us stay grounded in our purpose, make informed choices, and prioritize the technologies and experiences that will genuinely serve our consumers and the business.

WIRLC: What bold leadership move has had the biggest impact on your team and/or organization in the past year?
KB: My leadership approach blends individual development with a strong focus on team growth, grounded in the belief that meaningful experiences and exposure are essential for developing leaders. I intentionally create space for my team to be seen as the leaders they are, empowering them to drive while providing support and guidance when needed. 

This past year, I implemented initiative-based cross-functional teams to tackle a range of business opportunities. This required letting go of traditional ownership and trusting others to lead in highly visible ways. I paired individuals who don’t typically work together and stepped back to let them go. The impact continues to exceed expectations: we’re addressing more topics than anticipated, uncovering new solutions to improve the consumer experience and accelerate progress through diverse perspectives. Just as importantly, team members share stories of personal growth, stepping outside their comfort zones, gaining a deeper understanding of other functions, and building confidence and influence. This approach has broadened participation in strategy development, strengthened cross-functional partnerships, and helped develop the next generation of leaders.