Rob Thiessen / Engineering executive

Building what’s next.
Scaling what matters.

I lead digital engineering and enterprise AI adoption at SKIMS—connecting modern commerce platforms, AI-powered workflows, and technology investment to measurable business impact.

Explore my impact
ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP✳︎COMMERCE AT SCALE✳︎AI STRATEGY✳︎PLATFORM MODERNIZATION
20+

Years leadingYears in technology and engineering leadership

30+

Brands supportedEnterprise retail and DTC brands supported at Accenture

$5B

SKIMS valuation*Reported SKIMS valuation reached during brand growth; not a measure of individual contribution

*Reported brand valuation; not a measure of individual contribution.

A defining chapter / AI at enterprise scale

From AI experimentation to measurable adoption.

Over the past three years, I've helped shape how SKIMS evaluates, governs, funds, and operationalizes AI. The focus: tools that teams can actually use, training that drives better outcomes, and investment tied to business value—not hype.

250+Colleagues supported by enterprise AI tooling and training
30%Reduction in AI spend through optimization and shared capabilities
3Core platforms: Claude, ChatGPT, and Parabola

Strategy, governance & execution

As a contributor to the AI Steering Committee and AI Board of Directors, I help guide responsible adoption, oversee AI budgets, and drive the internal systems and enablement that make AI useful across the business.

Turning investment into leverage

Prompt-optimization training, reusable skills, and custom routing and automation improved how teams work while reducing unnecessary spend. The result is a more scalable model for AI adoption.

Explore AI transformation at SKIMS
01 / Selected impactA career built around scale

Great brands deserve great infrastructure.

Four deeper stories of the platforms, teams, and partnerships I helped build. Select a project to explore my contribution.

Project imagery is custom editorial concept artwork created for this portfolio preview; it is not official brand campaign photography.

Editorial concept image of a model in soft neutral knitwear and charcoal clothing, representing modern consumer commerce01 / Commerce at scale
01 / Engineering leadership

SKIMS

Leading digital technology and enterprise AI for 250+ users, reducing AI spend 30% while advancing commerce performance, loyalty, and scale.

VP of Engineering2023 — Present
Editorial concept close-up of layered neutral shapewear fabric textures and seams02 / Digital retail
02 / Commerce architecture

SPANX

Advancing Shopify commerce architecture, platform reliability, and cross-market scalability through agency partnership.

Digital commercePlatform modernization
Editorial concept of a black tailored blazer in an architectural wine-red luxury fashion setting03 / Luxury transformation
03 / Enterprise transformation

LANVIN

Supporting the transition to Shopify alongside ERP implementation to better connect storefront and operations.

Luxury commerceSystems integration
Editorial concept of a brushed silver smart ring on sculptural limestone with a slate-blue backdrop04 / Connected technology
04 / Platform & partnership

OURA

Helping build internal capabilities and secure a major client engagement, working closely with senior leadership.

Product engineeringStrategic growth
02 / How I workFrom strategy to execution

Technology is the tool.
Impact is the goal.

01

Engineering leadership
& organizational scale

Build accountable teams, strong leaders, and delivery systems that support rapid growth without sacrificing quality.

02

Commerce platform
modernization

Design resilient, flexible commerce ecosystems across Shopify, headless architecture, mobile, and enterprise integrations.

03

AI strategy
& governance

Shape enterprise AI strategy, governance, training, and automation for 250+ users across Claude, ChatGPT, and Parabola; optimize AI investment and spend.

04

High-stakes launches
& reliability

Prepare organizations and platforms for high-traffic moments through observability, performance, and operational discipline.

03 / The person behind the platformExperience + perspective

A builder at heart.
A leader by design.

The mindset
RT

Clarity. Ownership. Momentum.
Technology in service of people and business.

I'm Rob — an engineering executive with two decades of experience helping organizations move from complex technology challenges to scalable execution.

My work spans hands-on architecture, building engineering organizations, partnering with senior executives, and helping global brands navigate the next era of commerce and AI.

VP of Engineering · SKIMS2023 — Now
Director of Technology · Accenture2021 — 2023
Director of Engineering · Noticed2019 — 2021
Founder & Principal Engineer · Rob22016 — 2019
04 / Let's talk

Building something ambitious?

For conversations about engineering leadership, commerce transformation, organizational scale, and thoughtful AI adoption, let's connect.

Find me on LinkedIn