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Charlie Cole

Operator

Charlie Cole is a seasoned e-commerce and digital marketing executive recognized for his ability to scale direct-to-consumer digital operations and performance marketing programs at both legacy retail brands and modern DTC companies. He has built a reputation as a pragmatic operator who bridges the gap between brand marketing and data-driven performance advertising, with deep expertise in customer acquisition, retention, and the full digital commerce stack. His work at Thuma, the premium sleep and bedroom furniture brand, reflects a broader industry trend of established digital leaders moving into the DTC space to apply enterprise-level rigor to high-growth consumer brands. Cole's career trajectory spans some of the most recognizable names in retail and consumer goods. He served as Chief Digital Officer and Chief E-Commerce Officer at Samsonite, where he led global digital strategy across a complex multi-brand portfolio. Prior to that, he held senior digital leadership roles at FTD and Tumi, accumulating experience across gifting, luxury goods, and travel accessories — categories that demand sophisticated personalization and lifecycle marketing capabilities. His cross-industry experience gives him a distinctive vantage point on how digital advertising and commerce intersect. Within the AdTech and digital marketing ecosystem, Cole is known as a practitioner-voice who speaks candidly about what actually works for brands navigating paid media complexity, attribution challenges, and the evolving identity landscape. He has been a recurring presence at industry conferences and in trade press, offering brand-side perspectives on topics ranging from affiliate marketing to the deprecation of third-party cookies and its implications for e-commerce advertisers.

Last updated Jul 10, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment

Role
Chief Digital Officer
Company
Thuma
Based
San Francisco, California, United States

AI-drafted from public sourcesno sources yet

Years in industry
15 years

Bio

Charlie Cole is a seasoned e-commerce and digital marketing executive recognized for his ability to scale direct-to-consumer digital operations and performance marketing programs at both legacy retail brands and modern DTC companies. He has built a reputation as a pragmatic operator who bridges the gap between brand marketing and data-driven performance advertising, with deep expertise in customer acquisition, retention, and the full digital commerce stack. His work at Thuma, the premium sleep and bedroom furniture brand, reflects a broader industry trend of established digital leaders moving into the DTC space to apply enterprise-level rigor to high-growth consumer brands. Cole's career trajectory spans some of the most recognizable names in retail and consumer goods. He served as Chief Digital Officer and Chief E-Commerce Officer at Samsonite, where he led global digital strategy across a complex multi-brand portfolio. Prior to that, he held senior digital leadership roles at FTD and Tumi, accumulating experience across gifting, luxury goods, and travel accessories — categories that demand sophisticated personalization and lifecycle marketing capabilities. His cross-industry experience gives him a distinctive vantage point on how digital advertising and commerce intersect. Within the AdTech and digital marketing ecosystem, Cole is known as a practitioner-voice who speaks candidly about what actually works for brands navigating paid media complexity, attribution challenges, and the evolving identity landscape. He has been a recurring presence at industry conferences and in trade press, offering brand-side perspectives on topics ranging from affiliate marketing to the deprecation of third-party cookies and its implications for e-commerce advertisers.

Expertise & education

Expertise

E-Commerce StrategyPerformance MarketingCustomer AcquisitionDirect-to-Consumer (DTC)Affiliate MarketingAttribution ModelingDigital TransformationLifecycle Marketing

Education

  • Bachelor's Degree, University of Delaware

Speaking topics

DTC digital strategy and customer acquisitionPerformance marketing and attribution in a cookieless worldAffiliate and partnership marketingE-commerce transformation at scale

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Led global e-commerce and digital strategy at Samsonite across a multi-brand international portfolio
  • Drove digital revenue growth and modernized performance marketing infrastructure at FTD and Tumi
  • Joined Thuma as CDO to scale DTC digital operations for the premium furniture brand

Awards

Multichannel Merchant Top Performers recognition

Publications

  • Contributed commentary and interviews in trade outlets including Glossy, Modern Retail, and Multichannel Merchant