David Bergen of Levi Strauss: Profiling an effective IT leader

David Bergen Photo Credit: deviceone.eu

David Bergen, former Levi Strauss & Co. global CIO and senior vice president, is a recognized IT professional and management leader currently working as a management advisory consultant at Alvarez & Marsal.

David Bergen Photo Credit: cbstrategic.us

Before joining the leading consultancy firm, he was a distinguished chief information officer at various Fortune 500 companies including Duty Free Shoppers, Esprit Holdings, and The Gap. Working at Esprit Holdings for four years, he was able to streamline its key functions by developing highly efficient technologies suited for the company’s retail management and wholesale manufacturing systems. In Duty Free Shoppers, he led a team of over 250 employees in nine countries, redesigned the company’s IT infrastructure, and developed IT platforms to simplify the maintenance and management of its technological network.

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David Bergen from Levi Strauss proceeded to share his IT expertise at CarStation.com before working at the premier American jeans and casual wear manufacturer. The world recognized the IT professional at a time when Levi’s was in a period of difficulty and needing a crucial revamp for its corporate technology. Bergen put his expertise at work in overseeing that the company’s IT solutions supported its operations, ensuring that SAP was implemented efficiently at a global level, and expanding the company’s distribution channels that later on led to a revenue growth of $2 billion.

Adding to the impressive career of IT leader David Bergen from Levi Strauss is his work at Bay Area CIO Forum, an organization which he co-founded. The firm helps technology service providers and users maximize the efficiency of IT. View his career portfolio at www.visualcv.com.

David Bergen: Leading Levi Strauss & Co. out of the jaws of death

David Bergen, Levi Strauss & Co.’s former Global CIO, recalls the time when the jeans and casual wear manufacturer was on the verge of losing to the times as the company’s clothing brands, one of which was once considered an American icon, were steadily losing its market share to their competitors.

David Bergen. Photo credit: Deviceone.eu

Without a doubt, this was a sign that times have changed and that the clothing company had failed to adapt to answer to the demands of the new era. It might have been the first to offer blue jeans but it also failed to cater to the style of choice of the new generation in the ’90s. The clothing brand lost its customer base to either boutique brands or more affordable ones.

David Bergen. Photo credit: Collegefashion.net

According to David Bergen, Levi Strauss in that time was already caught in “the jaws of death.” However, it was not going to go down without putting up a good fight. There was still something that the company could do as it eyed a potential ally that could give its brands the boost in market attention that they needed.

What Levi Strauss was looking into at the time was selling its products through the world’s largest retailer: Wal-Mart. To succeed in this, Levi Strauss & Co. had to come up with a less expensive signature line that would still attract more affluent shoppers to Wal-Mart.

David Bergen. Photo credit: Styleandflair.com

Meanwhile, David Bergen, as Levi Strauss’ CIO at the time had to lead the redesigning of the company’s supply chain to allow it to handle the demands of mass merchandising customers. This move undoubtedly paid off as it helped enhance the company’s business revenue growth and reduced its costs structure.

For more information on his career highlights, follow David Bergen on Twitter.

David Bergen of Levi Strauss: How information technology helps the retail industry

At present, the need for information technology in businesses continues to increase. IT experts like David Bergen, former Levi Strauss & Co. Chief Information Officer, continue to develop strategies that make use of information technology to keep up with the competition in the industry.

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In the retail industry, information technology plays various roles, all of which are significant. First, IT specialists within a company develop programs that can be accessed by everyone in the supply chain. These programs include information regarding the company’s products – existing and new – and operations. Second, information technology builds connections among retail stores, vendors, and manufacturers. By having them connected, these groups are constantly updated with the changes in the market and the level of demand for products.

The impact of Information technology on retail companies is beneficial. A great example would be the turnaround in Levi Strauss & Co. As the CIO, David Bergen made Levi Strauss’ supply chain capable of handling the demands of the mass market by redesigning it. Also, he was able to improve the company’s other processes which include the management of inventory. As a result of these accomplishments, Levi’s was able to experience a significant growth in revenue.

David Bergen Photo credit: Care.org.uk

Utilizing information technology in business is a great way to increase efficiency and decrease risks because the data used in making crucial decisions are much more organized and are distributed among those involved.

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David Bergen, former Levi Strauss & Co. CIO and Senior Vice President, is currently an IT consultant at Alvarez and Marsal. To know more about his accomplishments, follow him on Twitter.

David Bergen and Levi Strauss: Values that drive business success

David Bergen Photo Credit: Blogspot.com

Levi Strauss has lived up to values that it believes have been the key to its success in the clothing industry.  David Bergen, Levi Strauss’ former Senior Vice President and Global CIO, had shared the same principles with the company during his stint therein.

The Levi Strauss values

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Empathy, walking in other people’s shoes: The company pays much importance in listening and responding to the needs of its stakeholders, especially its customers and employees. It believes that empathy begins with giving close attention to what the company touts as “the world around us.”

Originality, being authentic and innovative: Levi Strauss made an excellent innovation when it produced the very first pair of blue jeans in 1873. Years after, with the help of executives like David Bergen, Levi Strauss has been able to maintain authenticity and innovation for its products, coming up with different designs that define each generation.

Integrity, doing the right thing: Levi Strauss aims not only to boost its clothing business but also to accomplish its responsibilities to the society as a whole.

Courage, standing up for what [it believes]: Throughout its years in the clothing business, the company has always made it a point to stand by its convictions and act on its beliefs.

David Bergen Photo Credit: Amazingmomsfatloss.com

David Bergen, a Levi Strauss former executive, now works as a Management Advisory Consultant at Alvarez & Marsal, advising several companies on proper IT management. More information about his career can be accessed at visualcv.com.

David Bergen: Before and after Levi Strauss & Co.

An expert in information technology, David Bergen, Levi Strauss & Co’s former Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President, brings more than three decades of professional experience to the table, having worked for global brand names such as The Gap and Esprit.

David Bergen In Order for Life

Mr. Bergen started his professional career in 1978 after earning his Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Nevada. He worked as a Project Manager and Systems Engineer at Electronic Data Systems, a company that offers electronic data processing management.

David Bergen The Amazing World of Psychiatry

After three years, Mr. Bergen moved to work for The Gap, Inc. which started his career of developing IT solutions to clothing companies. He then worked for Esprit, another big name in the industry, in its IT application services.


David Bergen’s help in Levi Strauss’ growth is perhaps the highlight of his career. For eight years, he served as the company’s CIO, developing solutions for the improvement of the company’s inventory management and delivery rate at a time when the company was negotiating deals with major retailers such as Kmart, Target, and Wal-Mart.


At present, Mr. Bergen works as a Management Advisory Consultant at Alvarez & Marsal, a San Francisco-based professional services company where he meets with Fortune 500 CIOs to teach them about strategic planning and organization, among others.

David Bergen The Faster Times

Learn more about the role of David Bergen in Levi Strauss’ development during the early 2000s by visiting www.visualcv.com.