Zalando brings in L’Oréal executive to head beauty division

Zalando strengthens its beauty division: the German e-commerce company appoints Thomas Schwulera, formerly at L’Oréal, as its new Vice President of Beauty. Schwulera is tasked with accelerating growth in this strategically important segment.

Gateway to fashion

The Berlin-based online retailer saw double-digit growth in beauty sales last year and is now reinforcing that trend. Spanish and Portuguese customers now also have access to the range of care products, makeup, and fragrances. Beauty is a gateway for Zalando: 70% of customers who buy beauty products also add fashion items to their shopping cart.

Schwulera now wants to make Zalando “Europe’s most inspiring beauty destination.” “Zalando has a unique position in the beauty market,” he stated on LinkedIn. “Our logistics network offers unparalleled convenience to 52 million customers in 26 European markets.” His team will focus on closer partner relationships, brand curation, technological personalization, and content formats.

The new beauty director joined the company in September and reports directly to the executive committee. He worked for 18 years at French cosmetics group L’Oréal, including in Germany, France, and Switzerland. With Schwulera’s appointment, Zalando is underlining its ambition to become a fully-fledged beauty player.