Roxanne Iyer: A UT Alumni That Proves She Is A Force Unlike Any Other
What does it mean to pave your own path? Ask Roxanne Barretto Iyer, University of Texas (UT) alumni. Since graduating from UT, Iyer has proven herself a leader in a variety of different industries; beauty, digital media, and most recently Web3. When looking back on her career it is safe to say that nothing can stand in Roxanne Barretto Iyer’s way.
After graduating with a BS in chemistry from Mount Carmel College and an MBA from Goa University (both universities are located in India), Iyer decided it was time for a change. It was then she decided to pack her things and head to Texas to study advertising and media at UT. During her time at UT, Iyer carved her name into the hearts of her professors.
When coming to UT, Iyer was an international student with no money to help pay for school. Trying to figure out what to do, she ended up reaching out to Professor Gene Kincaid to work as a Teaching Assistant (TA), and was hired. Teaching Assistant positions at UT provide financial aid and an abundance of resources to help students save money. Because Iyer was able to work as a TA, she had the help she needed to get through school while saving money to follow her real dream of moving to New York; which is exactly what she did. Proving that you can accomplish anything with hard work, self discipline, and not being afraid to seek help when you need it.
Since moving to New York, Iyer has not only had the chance to work in any industry she wished, she became a leader. Iyer was constantly pushing forward, and when coming to a wall, she broke it down to accomplish her goals. Roxanne Barretto Iyer has had the opportunity to work with L’Oréal, Ralph Lauren, and The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. taking on titles such as Vice President of Digital Innovation and Transformation, Head of Global Digital Marketing, and Vice President of Global Consumer Engagement. While working for these different companies, Iyer executed unique digital media tactics that resonate with target audiences. Since the creation of Web3, Iyer has focused on the opportunities it created rather than the obstacles. One of the most notable projects Iyer worked on in recent years was the use of NFTs in Clinique’s loyalty program, becoming the first of the Estée Lauder companies to test how the empire would use NTFs.
Currently Iyer has moved on to a new organization called SYKY as the Chief Operating Officer. SYKY is a digital fashion company focusing on creating items for the Metaverse. In the last several years major organizations have been moving more and more money and manpower into different Web3 projects and asking themselves “how will this new realm affect my industry”? While there are many industries struggling to find the right niche for them, the fashion industry has taken this opportunity to create digital fashion for consumers to use while they are in the Metaverse, such as Gucci and Balenciaga. Although SYKY is a newer organization, with the leadership and guidance of Iyer, SYKY plans to be one of the leading companies in the digital fashion industry.
