About Runway
Helping international brands build their U.S. business.
Runway Brands Group was co-founded by Justin Lilja and Justin Stead, bringing together deep U.S. retail and operational expertise with decades of international brand-building and executive leadership.
We’ve created a model that allows for ease of entry into the biggest retail market in the world.
Runway combines commercial strategy, established retail relationships and hands-on operational support to help international brands enter and grow in the United States.
We help brands develop sales across wholesale, retailer marketplaces and direct-to-consumer channels, backed by the local infrastructure needed to deliver.
Why Runway?
Our approach connects U.S. execution with a brand’s headquarters overseas, helping brands grow while managing local costs, complexity and risk.
We are not just an advisory firm or sales agency. We work as an extension of our brand partners’ teams, connecting strategy, channel development and execution on the ground.
Our Leadership
Justin Lilja “JL”
Co-Founder & CEO
Justin is a merchant, operator and business builder with more than 20 years of experience across major U.S. department stores and international fashion brands. His career spans buying, merchandising, global sales and business operations, combining commercial judgment with hands-on experience building and running a U.S. business.
He understands what international expansion demands beyond winning customers: establishing local operations, managing inventory and fulfillment, meeting retailer requirements, and coordinating execution with headquarters overseas.
At Radley London, Justin led the U.S. business from launch to $30 million in revenue over six years, developing wholesale, e-commerce and retail channels alongside the operations supporting them.
He co-founded Runway to help international brands navigate that same journey, bringing together retail relationships, market knowledge and practical execution without requiring brands to build a full U.S. organization from scratch.
As CEO, he leads Runway’s commercial strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations.
Justin Stead “JS”
Co-Founder & Chairman
Justin is an international retail executive, chairman and investor with more than 30 years of experience building premium consumer brands.
He previously served as CEO of Radley London and Aurum Holdings, the business behind Watches of Switzerland, Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb. Under his leadership, Aurum delivered consistent double-digit sales growth and quadrupled profits.
Earlier in his career, Justin served as Senior Vice President at Fossil Group, helping expand its global watch and jewelry business. His chairmanships include Walker’s Shortbread, Desmond & Dempsey, MORI and Navygrey.
As Runway’s Co-Founder & Chairman, Justin brings the perspective of both a global CEO and an investor in growing brands, guiding long-term strategy and contributing international relationships, board-level judgment and experience building lasting enterprise value..