Available to book
Unlock DTC and e-commerce growth strategies with David Bell, consumer brand investor and former Wharton professor. David advises founders and enterprises on direct-to-consumer innovation, retail strategy, and digital marketing, backed by billion-dollar exits. Clients include Google, Nike, and Alibaba.
David R. Bell is co-founder and President of Idea Farm Ventures (IFV), a New York-based consumer and retail investment company.
Referred to as the "guru of the DTC movement" by Inc. Magazine and the "man who kickstarted the direct brand economy" by IAB, David has been an early investor in some of the most recognized consumer brands of the past decade, including Bonobos (acquired by Walmart for $310M), Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), and Jet.com (acquired by Walmart for $3.3B). IFV portfolio companies Harry's and Warby Parker have both reached billion-dollar valuations, and in July 2025, Touchland was acquired by Church & Dwight for $880M.
Before co-founding IFV, David spent 20 years at Wharton as a chaired professor, award-winning teacher, and the originator of the school's courses on digital marketing and e-commerce. He has published peer-reviewed research across all the major marketing journals, including the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing, Marketing Science, and Management Science, as well as practitioner publications including MIT Sloan Management Review and California Management Review. He has also taught at INSEAD, MIT Sloan, and UCLA.
David holds a PhD (Business) and MS (Statistics) from Stanford, a BCom and MCom (First Class Honours) from the University of Auckland, and an MA from the University of Pennsylvania.
As a keynote speaker, David has worked with clients including Alibaba, Google, Haier, Mastercard, Microsoft, Nike, and Ralph Lauren. Recent engagements include keynotes at the APEC Summit in Korea and the CUES Executive Symposium in Maui.
His book Location Is (Still) Everything is a practical guide to winning in the digital economy; his forthcoming title, Founders Gold, draws on his investments in ten standout consumer and retail companies to set out principles for aspiring founders.
David is also a Senior Advisor at Berkeley Research Group, a leading commercial litigation consulting firm. He has testified in court, at arbitration, and been deposed more than ten times in trademark, patent infringement, class action, and consumer protection cases, representing clients including Apple, Costco, Intel, LinkedIn, SAP, and Verizon.
Topics, sessions and talks
The 21st-century omnichannel marketplace demands that sellers rethink how they deliver products, information, and services to customers. David Bell draws on deep research into frictions between the digital and physical worlds to identify where real opportunity lies. He explains how digital natives and digital pioneers are reshaping demand, how to distinguish digital innovation from digital enhancement, and how to build business models that put digital leverage to work.
Successful category disruptors don't emerge by accident. David Bell has spent decades studying how brands move from early idea to genuine market disruptor. Drawing on research and real-world cases across the consumer and retail economy, he shares a proven go-to-market framework built around two types of innovation: insight-led and framework-led. Participants leave with practical tools to identify underserved categories, amplify physical environments through digital, and build brands that compete with more nimble rivals.
The boundary between in-store and online retail has blurred beyond recognition, and competing successfully in either environment demands new thinking on branding and marketing. David Bell outlines the new rules of digital marketing, including how to build brand stories that connect with consumers on a personal level. He makes the case that Millennial and Gen-Z buyers can no longer be treated as an afterthought, walking leaders through the omnichannel strategies that unlock their significant spending power.
Digital marketing is no longer optional, but offline presence still matters. Consumers need to interact with brands in person, and the most successful companies have learned to integrate both. David Bell draws on research across industries to illuminate how firms can build lasting brand narratives, grow and retain a customer base at scale, and execute the three core levers of digital brand-building. He introduces the LAW of Digital, Leverage, Amplify, Win Local, a practical framework for navigating the opportunities and pressures of today's digital economy.
Retail transformation is reshaping how companies manage logistics, information delivery, and customer experience across every channel. David Bell draws on decades of research, from scanner panel transaction data at Stanford through to ongoing work with digital-first brands including Bonobos and Warby Parker, to show leaders how to build omni-channel experiences calibrated to the right customers in the right locations. He examines the future of marketing and e-commerce, giving organizations a clear picture of the innovations they need to put in place to compete and grow.
Book David R. Bell as a speaker to gain cutting-edge insights into digital marketing, e-commerce, and consumer behavior that drive real business results. His expertise in go-to-market strategies and mentorship of disruptive startups offers practical, high-impact solutions for both emerging and established brands.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
To book David Bell, email david.bell@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm David's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
David Bell structures sessions around a go-to-market framework built from decades of peer-reviewed research and direct investment experience, using real-world cases from the consumer and retail economy to walk participants through practical tools they can apply immediately.
David R. Bell speaks on omnichannel strategy and digital transformation, consumer and retail category disruption, and brand-building for Millennial and Gen-Z buyers. He co-founded Idea Farm Ventures, whose portfolio includes early investments in Bonobos (acquired by Walmart for $310M), Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), and Jet.com (acquired by Walmart for $3.3B), and spent 20 years at Wharton as the originator of its digital marketing and e-commerce courses.
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Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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