Michael Perman Email & Phone Number

Lake Oswego, Or, Us

C'EST WHAT? LLC guides organizations to create a better future with design thinking, foresight, insights, and mindful innovation strategies. Michael Perman leads these initiatives and facilitates team alignment workshops, including unique WINE AND SENSORY EXPERIENCES. Outcomes include clarity on new strategic paths, innovative concepts, and "true north" for teams.

San Francisco, California, Us

As the Dean of Innovation at Gap Inc., Michael was responsible for increasing innovation-capacity and fostering a culture of creativity, which helped fuel the creation of new products, experiences, and business models. Toward these goals, Michael and his team implemented unique Design Thinking methods. A secondary focus for Michael was to help teams identify and galvanize around a clear strategic focus and vision for the future. Michael also facilitated organizational effectiveness initiatives for several teams including supply chain, retail store development, legal, merchandising and marketingAchievements include:- Built innovation capacity and connection to insights, trained 25 innovation leaders and more than 2000 people on innovation methods and best practices- Successfully informed creation of creative platforms and brand strategies - Helped reinvent women’s business, leading to revenue and gross margin improvements- Developed new innovation methods, such as co-creation and crowdsourcing- Informed creation of new store formats and experiences- Generated and embedded insights and foresight for business strategy

San Francisco, California, Us

Held several marketing, innovation and insights leadership roles over 10 years. Developed innovative engagement-marketing programs and brand collaborations to increase brand equity and purchase intent. Achievements Include:• Conceived and evolved Levi’s® first global digital brand community - Shape What’s to Come.com. Generated significant media coverage and brand traffic. Increased brand equity/purchase intent.• Orchestrated new ventures, social media, marketing campaigns and partnerships with premier organizations (such as TED, American Film Institute and Sundance) in US, UK and India that drove growth.• Produced films, music and literature and events that support brand initiatives and generate earned media.

San Francisco, California, Us

Led a team of 20 research and consumer relations professionals.Established research agenda and cultural Zeitgeist to guide brand strategy and innovation plans and achieve business objectives for all brands. Implemented complex global projects among multiple consumer targets by collaborating with virtual teams. Deployed Design Thinking methods and infused new behaviors throughout the organization. • Partnered with leadership team to transform Levi’s women’s business. Drove strategy and implementation of global research initiatives leading to new product development, brand positioning, shopping experience and advertising. Helped drive introduction Levi’s® Curve ID™ line, resulting in $100 million sales in the first year.• Implemented design thinking, ethnographic research, and trend forecasting to drive business. Created and embedded a segmentation model that revealed growth opportunities including the new Denizen™ brand, which opened more than 350 stores and 3000 total doors in seven countries within the first year - generating more than $100 million in revenue. • Co-created and implemented insights-to-innovation curriculum to more than 7000 employees, leading to culture change and robust stream of new products, shopping experiences and work practices. Orchestrated design workshops, providing visionary perspective on cultural trends and deep consumer insights brought to life with innovative, multi-sensory learning experiences that inspired creation.• Conducted a global study on best practices in innovation and brand management for the executive team, leading to the creation of new strategies, new revenue streams, organizational re-alignment, and culture change.

Boston, Ma, Us

Bridged gaps among strategy, creativity, and execution for retail and digital commerce using Design Thinking and UX methodologies Created graphic “experience models” based on ethnographic research that depicted user experience opportunities and gaps leading to seamless digital brand dialogues.

Conceived and launched innovation and insights consultancy with offices in San Francisco, Chicago and Portland. Built and orchestrated team of 15 people to develop new products, new brands and campaigns for Nike, Starbucks, Del Monte and State of Oregon. Developed new ventures for Electric Power Research Institute and several energy companies. Emphasis on renewable energy such as solar and wind power. Created innovative “new to the world” research methods that drove deeper insights for clients. Conducted more than 100 projects.

Wine And Sommelier Level Three, With Merit, Wine Steward/Sommelier

Food And Corporate Social Responsibility

Food Marketing And Hospitality, Foodservice Management

Level One Sommelier, Wine And Spirits

Certificate, Wine Steward/Sommelier

Level One Sommelier