# Wendy Yu

> Wendy Yu is the CEO of Cuyana, the San Francisco-based sustainable fashion brand built on the philosophy of 'fewer, better things.' A data-and-analytics-trained operator with a BS from MIT and an MBA from the University of Michigan, she worked her way through gaming, consulting, and digital marketing before joining Cuyana as Chief Digital Officer in 2018. When founder Karla Gallardo stepped down in 2025 after 14 years, Yu stepped into the CEO role - bringing her decade-plus of growth marketing and digital operations experience to the helm of a brand that has generated nearly half a billion dollars in lifetime DTC sales.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Cuyana
- **Organizations:** Cuyana, Kabam, Rosetta, Procter & Gamble, WhenU.com, Flooz.com, Canon USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science, Management Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MBA, Marketing, University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business
- **Known for:** Led digital and growth marketing strategy at Cuyana as CDO, contributing to the brand reaching nearly half a billion dollars in lifetime DTC sales, Oversaw Cuyana's digital infrastructure during its Series C fundraise ($30M, H.I.G. Capital, 2019), Built and scaled Cuyana's digital customer acquisition and loyalty programs

## Career timeline

- **~1999-2002** — Early career roles at Canon USA and Flooz.com in advertising and digital operations
- **2002-2005** — Advertising Operations at WhenU.com, an early ad-network startup
- **2005-2007** — MBA at University of Michigan; interned at Procter & Gamble in Consumer and Market Knowledge
- **2007-2010** — Manager of Consulting and Strategic Services at Rosetta (digital marketing agency)
- **2010-2016** — Marketing Director to VP of Marketing at Kabam, including VP role leading marketing at Kabam Montreal for major mobile gaming titles
- **2018** — Joined Cuyana as Chief Digital Officer, overseeing e-commerce, digital marketing, analytics, and growth
- **2025** — Elevated to CEO of Cuyana following co-founder Karla Gallardo's departure after 14 years

## Achievements

- Led digital and growth marketing strategy at Cuyana as CDO, contributing to the brand reaching nearly half a billion dollars in lifetime DTC sales
- Oversaw Cuyana's digital infrastructure during its Series C fundraise ($30M, H.I.G. Capital, 2019)
- Built and scaled Cuyana's digital customer acquisition and loyalty programs
- Rose to CEO of Cuyana following founder's departure, becoming the brand's top executive
- Prior career included VP of Marketing at Kabam, one of North America's leading mobile gaming studios
- Early internet-era operator at WhenU.com and Flooz.com during the dot-com boom

## Latest updates

- **2025-03** — Co-founder Karla Gallardo announced her departure as CEO after 14 years, with Wendy Yu elevated to CEO role
- **2019-02** — Cuyana closed a $30M Series C round led by H.I.G. Capital; Yu was CDO at the time
- **2018-04** — Wendy Yu joined Cuyana as Chief Digital Officer

## Links

- Website: https://cuyana.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-yu-73b3b6

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/wendy-yu
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-22