Mike Giresi, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ltd.

Mike Giresi joined Royal Caribbean as Senior Vice President and CIO in 2015. In this role, he is driving the evolution of IT as a strategic business partner and driver of digital innovation. His philosophy is that IT is the business and in order to truly be a “digital business,” companies must embody this as a mindset that drives all decisions and innovations. Although a focus on customer journey is critical, being “digital” depends on a culture of cross-functional collaboration, the ability to “fail fast” and innovating for all areas of business- not just those that face the customer.

Prior joining Royal Caribbean Cruises, Giresi served as Senior Vice President and CIO for Tory Burch, where he was responsible for the implementation of new infrastructure and technology initiatives for one of the fastest growing fashion brands in the world. In addition to his role as CIO, he also acted as COO from 2011 to 2013, where he led and evolved the nascent function to keep pace with growing demands. Giresi’s track record for leadership spans IT roles as well as general business management and even marketing and sales. Prior to Tory Burch, he served as Executive Vice President and CIO at DirectBrands Inc., and Senior Vice President and CIO of Godiva Chocolatier.