Chief Commercial & Technology Officer Steven Irwin ends run at shoe company Vivobarefoot
Steven Irwin has announced his departure from Vivobarefoot, where he spent almost three years, serving as Chief Commercial & Technology Officer. He joined the shoe company in 2024 from Hunters Boots, where he held the role of Chief Digital Officer. Irwin’s CV also includes stints at ASICS and Wolverine Worldwide.
In a LinkedIn post, in which he did not reveal his next move, he said: “After an amazing few years, I’ve made the very difficult decision to leave Vivobarefoot at the end of September and take on a new challenge closer to home. This wasn’t an easy decision. Vivo is truly a special business, filled with brilliant people, with bold ideas and a genuine ambition to change the way people think about footwear. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to play a part in that journey.”
He added: “Before I go, though, I have one important mission: helping find my successor. If you’re a commercially and or technologically minded leader who loves building brands, scaling businesses, leading exceptional teams and isn’t afraid to challenge convention, this is one of the best opportunities in consumer and retail. You’ll inherit an outstanding team, an iconic brand and plenty of opportunity to leave your mark. If that sounds like you, I’d genuinely love to hear from you.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Digital retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
