Join us for a conversation with colab member and Dehyah Consulting Group Founder Jackee de Lagarde, along with Jill Fishman, Interim Chief Product Officer at Michael Kors, Lynn Flynn, WHP Global EVP & Head of the Fashion Vertical, and Maura Regan, President at Licensing International, as they discuss the power of licensing fashion.
Jill Fishman is an international growth strategist and cross-functional executive leader known for elevating brands to new heights, expanding market reach, and diversifying revenue streams across both direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels.
With over two decades of experience in the fashion industry, Jill has cultivated deep expertise in global licensing and category development. She has consistently led the full product development lifecycle and established innovative partnerships that have become catalysts for growth.
Jill’s career ascent started at The Donna Karan Company, where she rapidly advanced through a series of roles – from accounting associate to Director of International Product Licensing. This period laid the bedrock for her proficiency in global licensing, brand building, and business development.
Her commercial expertise was further honed through successive licensing leadership roles at Kenneth Cole, Giorgio Armani, and Michael Kors. During this time, Jill architected new licensing capabilities, launched lucrative product lines, and spearheaded new brands. She also honed her ability to bridge the gap between creative teams and the broader business strategy.
At Michael Kors, she was flagged as high-potential talent and was given the opportunity to build a cross-functional leadership profile, joining the highest levels of senior leadership and playing an integral role in the company’s successful IPO. During her 20-year tenure through roles of increasing complexity and cross-functional impact, Jill demonstrated her ability to modernize the product offering, overcome maturing revenue streams, and push the organization to thrive in unstable economic environments.
She also proved herself as a relationship-driven leader capable of maximizing team performance and forging profitable alliances with esteemed organizations such as Fossil, Estee Lauder, Luxottica, and Google. These synergistic partnerships positioned Michael Kors as a best-in-class global licensing portfolio, achieving success across geographies, products, and a multitude of industries.
As a strategic consultant, Jill offers a big-picture perspective, a passion for forging authentic relationships to move the business forward, and a deep respect for the unique DNA of each brand she touches.
Jill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and minor in Japanese from Tufts University.
Lynn Flynn is a veteran of the Licensing Industry with over 30 years of experience in international licensing development and management.
Based in New York City, Lynn previously spent over 20 years at PVH Corp leading their portfolio of brands globally and working on acquisitions and divestitures. Prior to joining WHP Global in 2024, she was the Chief Operating Officer of Perry Ellis International running their intellectual property division, responsible for managing and monetizing their trademarks.
Lynn is a graduate of Wharton’s Advanced Management program and she also holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Auburn University.
Known as a creative and collaborative executive, she has spent her career launching brand extensions with top retailers and best in class operating partners.
Jackee de Lagarde is a global licensing and brand management executive with more than 20 years of experience building and marketing high-impact category expansion programs for some of the most recognized brands in fashion and lifestyle. She most recently served as Vice President of Global Licensing at Kate Spade New York, where she led strategy and execution for the brand’s worldwide licensing portfolio, driving brand expansion, new market entry, and revenue growth through strategic partnerships.
Throughout her career, Jackee has developed a reputation for building strong partnerships and scaling licensing businesses that elevate brand equity while delivering commercial results. Her expertise spans licensing, brand management and development, marketing, strategic partnerships, contract negotiations, merchandising, and P&L oversite. Prior to Kate Spade, she held senior licensing roles at Kenneth Cole Productions and worked with global brands including Sean John, French Connection, and Dockers, a former division of Levi Strauss & Co.
Jackee is the founder of a new consulting practice, Dehyah Consulting Group, focused on helping brands and companies unlock growth through licensing, strategic partnerships, brand development and management. She is also the host of a podcast,Who Cares About Me?, dedicated to conversations around caregiving, leadership, and navigating life’s unexpected transitions.
In 2024, Jackee was recognized by Crain's New York Business as one of the “Top 100 Notable Black Leaders”. She also serves on the Board of the Fashion Institute of Technology Foundation.
Jackee earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and son and enjoys entertaining, gardening, and creating meaningful moments with family and friends.
Maura Regan joined Licensing International in December 2016 and assumed the role of President in July 2018, bringing with her more than 20 years of experience in the global brand licensing and media industries. Licensing International is the premier association for the global brand licensing industry, and Maura is responsible for leading the organization in fostering the expansion of licensing around the world and creating greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large.
As the former Head of Global Consumer Products at Sesame Workshop, the home of Sesame Street, Maura drove the non-profit organization’s strategic commercial initiatives with a focus on delivering significant unrestricted revenue to support its overarching philanthropic goals. Prior to Sesame Workshop, where she enjoyed an exhilarating 17-year tenure, Maura held executive positions with MTV Networks, Scholastic Entertainment, and The Jim Henson Company.
Maura is a standing fellow of the US-Japan Foundation Leadership Program and on the advisory board of One Animation, The Toy Foundation, and Women in Toys. She served on the board of Licensing International, where she was instrumental in developing the Rising Stars program and the “Office Hours” a mentoring program. She co-chaired the leadership committee of the FWA, Financial Women’s Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of women in finance.
Recognized as a top leader in business by Irish-America magazine, Maura was also a recipient of the K.I.D.S. (now Delivering Good) Women of Achievement Award. In 2019, she was named “Volunteer of the Year” by NYSAE. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Maura also spent many years volunteer teaching 4th grade Catechism at Blessed Sacrament in New York City where she resides with her husband Jim and their daughter Fiona.
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