Zalando wants to speed up growth with new structure

German fashion platform Zalando is redrawing its management structure: for the first time, the company appoints a Chief Operating Officer. Together with a new CFO, he should enable the e-tailer to grow faster.

Own system for logistics and payments

On 1 March 2022, Zalando’s management will look very different: David Schröder will become the company’s first COO, a new position that Zalando thinks to be paramount for its further growth. Schröder has been working for Zalando since 2010 and has been in its management since 2019.

Schröder’s new responsibilities make it crystal clear where Zalando’s next priorities are: it wants to expand its own European logistics network, further develop its own credit system ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ and put more effort into direct sales by partners. This multitude of channels through which Zalando can sell directly to its customers may also mean a further integration of Zalando’s online sales with physical stores.

March 2022 also sees Sandra Dembeck enter Zalando’s service as new Chief Financial Officer, replacing Schröder. Dembeck comes from food service company Compass Group, where she had a similar role. At Zalando, she means to increase the company’s total sales volume (including that of partners) to over thirty billion euros in the next four years.