# Derek Yarbrough

> Derek Yarbrough is a retail marketing executive who has spent more than two decades turning fashion brands into customer-first, digital-first businesses. A Stanford Urban Studies grad who joined Walmart.com as employee #33, he built his craft in early direct-to-consumer commerce, then spent 11 years at J.Crew Group, rising to Chief Marketing Officer of both Madewell and J.Crew, where he steered the brand's post-bankruptcy comeback and its splashy 40th-anniversary campaign. He later became a Chief Marketing Officer at Gap Inc., leading marketing for Old Navy. Yarbrough is known for arguing that the marketer is 'the chief storyteller and customer champion,' pairing hard data with emotional brand storytelling.

- **Role:** Chief Marketing Officer, Old Navy (Gap Inc.)
- **Organizations:** Gap Inc., Old Navy, J.Crew Group, J.Crew, Madewell, Walmart.com
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A., Urban Studies, Stanford University
- **Known for:** Rose from Walmart.com employee #33 to Chief Marketing Officer of multiple major apparel brands., Promoted to CMO of J.Crew Group in 2021, overseeing both J.Crew and Madewell., Helped guide J.Crew's post-bankruptcy comeback, with 2022 revenue roughly 30% above pre-pandemic levels.

## Career timeline

- **1990s-2000s** — Joined startup Walmart.com as employee #33 after a brief stint in consulting.
- **2000s** — Worked in direct-to-consumer marketing at companies including Hips&Curves.com, Flirtcatalog.com and Abbey Roads Programs.
- **~2012** — Joined J.Crew Group, spending most of his tenure building the Madewell brand's marketing.
- **2021** — Promoted to Chief Marketing Officer of J.Crew Group, overseeing both J.Crew and Madewell, less than a year after the company's Chapter 11 filing.
- **2022** — Led J.Crew's marketing during a comeback that pushed revenue ~30% above pre-pandemic levels.
- **2023** — Named a Glossy Top Marketer; led J.Crew's 40th-anniversary campaign featuring Diane Keaton, Michelle Yeoh, Quinta Brunson and Aubrey Plaza.
- **2023** — Departed J.Crew and Madewell at the end of the year after 11 years with the group.
- **2024-2025** — Became a Chief Marketing Officer at Gap Inc., leading marketing for Old Navy.

## Achievements

- Rose from Walmart.com employee #33 to Chief Marketing Officer of multiple major apparel brands.
- Promoted to CMO of J.Crew Group in 2021, overseeing both J.Crew and Madewell.
- Helped guide J.Crew's post-bankruptcy comeback, with 2022 revenue roughly 30% above pre-pandemic levels.
- Led J.Crew's 40th-anniversary 'Style for Decades' campaign featuring Diane Keaton, Michelle Yeoh, Quinta Brunson and Aubrey Plaza.
- Orchestrated an all-store birthday-party event that became one of the brand's best sales days.
- Named a 2023 Top Marketer by Glossy.
- Expanded J.Crew and Madewell's marketing across Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, ESPN and emerging platforms like Lemon8 and Reddit.
- Became a Chief Marketing Officer at Gap Inc. leading Old Navy marketing.

## Latest updates

- **2024-01** — Publicly reflected on walking away from his J.Crew/Madewell CMO role at the end of 2023.
- **2025-06** — Discussed customer-centric retail strategy and AI's impact on the industry on the fabric Inc. podcast.

## Links

- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/yarbroughd

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/derek-yarbrough
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-30