Best Zalando Podcasts (2025)

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Where business strategy meets politics: a career in public affairs. 18:55

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9d ago18:55

18:55

Darija Bräuniger, Principal, Public Affairs DACH at Zalando, joins Janine to explains the role of a public affairs specialist in business and its impact in shaping business strategy. Although many of us misunderstand what’s meant by public affairs, Darija unpacks how her team focuses on communicating a company’s interests to politicians and how thi…

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Running High-Traffic Product Drops at Rapha with Tristan Watson 46:40

2d ago46:40

46:40

In this episode, seasoned platform engineer Tristan Watson shares his learnings from handling peak traffic at Rapha and Booking.com. Tristan reveals the key challenges, trade-offs, and best practices involved in preparing infrastructure for high-traffic product drops and collaborations. Whether you're navigating traffic surges or optimizing for res…

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Designing Features For Scale with Head of Product & UX Karen Risvig 34:30

16d ago34:30

34:30

What does it take to build product features that hold up under massive traffic while still delivering a great user experience? Karen Risvig, Head of Product & UX at Queue-it, joins Smooth Scaling to share how her team designs for scalability, resilience, and security from day one. From invite-only waiting rooms to real-time visitor analytics, Karen…

1
What Do I Wear? The World's Smallest, Biggest Question. 18:11

23d ago18:11

18:11

Sara Spannar, VP of Global Marketing at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore the power of purpose, simplicity and empowerment in marketing fashion and lifestyle brands. Janine and Sara dive into a wide ranging conversation covering Sara’s personal perspective on her career to the marketing philosophies and strategies drive her work. They discuss …

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Load Testing for Peak Traffic with Radview's Yam Shal-Bar 36:20

1M ago36:20

36:20

In this episode, Yam Shal-Bar, CTO at Radview, discusses the the evolving world of load testing and how it's used to prepare for peak traffic. He covers the most common system bottlenecks, the importance of iterative testing, and strategies for accurately simulating user journeys. Yam shares insights into common misconceptions around testing, best …

1
Language, Localisation and Culture 18:14

1M ago18:14

18:14

Morgane Telling, Acting Team Lead Localisation Manager at Zalando, joins Janine to explain language and localisation in international business, and the importance of human connection in a tech-driven environment. Morgane explains her role and why localisation is key to Zalando’s success across diverse markets. The conversation covers everything fro…

1
Simple is Scalable with Product Architect Mojtaba Saroonghi 24:29

1M ago24:29

24:29

What makes a system scalable? In this episode, Mojtaba Saroonghi explains why simplicity is the secret to scalability. Saroonghi explains why avoiding complexity helps minimize the risk of failure while improving troubleshooting, deployment, and the overall scalability of a system. He walks though how Queue-it has maintained simplicity as it has gr…

1
Design for Failure with Product Architect Martin Larsen 27:35

1M ago27:35

27:35

No system has 100% reliability. Failures and faults are inevitable. At scale, everything breaks. In this episode, Martin Larsen explains the design for failure approach behind Queue-it’s architecture and how it increases the platform’s availability and resilience. Larsen explores the principles behind designing for failure, the tradeoffs involved, …

1
Embracing Vulnerability as a Tech Leader 19:17

2M ago19:17

19:17

Rebekka Beels, Head of Engineering at Zalando, joins Janine Matos for a wide-ranging conversation covering leadership, vulnerability, and what’s required to build inclusive, high-performing teams in tech. Rebekka shares her perspective on what it takes to lead engineering at scale; aligning technical strategy with company goals while fostering a cu…

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Building a Ship; Shaping Workplace Culture as a CPO. 17:42

2M ago17:42

17:42

Astrid Arndt, Chief People Officer at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to discuss leadership, workplace culture, and personal growth. Astrid explains her role in helping to shape Zalando’s culture, focusing on the importance of talent attraction, colleague retention, and understanding customer needs. The conversation also covers insights into long-term …

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How Experimentation Drives Innovation. 18:08

3M ago18:08

18:08

Gregory Crawford, Chief Economist at Zalando, joins Janine to explain the importance of economists within large, modern businesses and how experimentation and data are the key to business success. Gregory starts by unpacking how his expertise and experience as an economist benefits Zalando, where he provides data-driven guidance to refine customer …

1
Navigating the Future of the Workplace. 17:27

3M ago17:27

17:27

Christoph Gädeke, Senior Manager of Culture and New Work at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore the future of work and evolving workplace culture. First up, Christoph shares insights into the complexities and benefits of hybrid work models, emphasising the importance of flexibility in today’s workplace. He explains the impact of the pandemic in …

1
Fashion’s Future and the Path to Net Zero. 17:05

4M ago17:05

17:05

In this episode, Janine sits down with Elizabeth Carttar, Head of Sustainability at Zalando, to discuss the company’s ambitious sustainability goals and how we all need to help build a more responsible fashion industry. With Zalando pushing for net zero emissions by 2050, Elizabeth explains the crucial role of circularity in extending the life cycl…

1
Finance, Fashion and the Future. 18:48

4M ago18:48

18:48

In this episode Janine Matos sits down with Jennifer von Walderdorff, Senior Finance Manager at Zalando, to discuss the impact of financial analysis and modelling for Zalando, their partners and customers. The episode not only gives us a top-down view of the e-commerce industry and how Zalando’s business partnerships work, but also covers Jennifer’…

1
Decentralising Diversity to build Collaboration and Inclusion 17:54

4M ago17:54

17:54

In this episode, Janine talks to Hacinta Naidoo, Head of D&I, Strategy and Governance at Zalando. They delve into the critical issue of diversity in organisations and how representation is essential when it comes to creating a sense of belonging and aspiration for colleagues. Hacinta explains what a decentralised D&I strategy means at Zalando and h…

1
The Power of Storytelling in Corporate Communications 19:17

5M ago19:17

19:17

Nina Trofimova, Team Lead Global Corporate Communications at Zalando, joins Janine to explain her role and give a glimpse into how the Corporate Affairs team communicates the company’s story to the world. Nina talks us through her career to date, moving across Europe and transforming her personal interest in fashion into her professional choices. S…

1
Data, Demand, and the E-Commerce Experience 17:25

6M ago17:25

17:25

Antonis Vasilopoulos, Head of Product Assortment and Steering at Partner Tech, joins Janine to discuss how he and his team use data to shape the way we shop online. He explains the complex processes that helps manage the Zalando assortment, estimate future demand, and even sales trends as well as the tools and algorithms used to help deliver maximu…

1
Innovation, Instinct and the Zalando Brand Refresh 18:56

6M ago18:56

18:56

Morten Grubak, VP of Creative Direction, joins Janine in the studio to discuss creativity in business, his career and Zalando’s brand refresh. Janine and Morten cover everything, from the importance of a confident brand identity, the role of technology in fashion, to Morten’s passion for innovative digital solutions. They also delve into the thinki…

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The Power of Personalisation; Connecting Brands and Audiences. 19:20

7M ago19:20

19:20

Heike Lari, Director of Partner Consultancy at ZMS, joins Janine in the studio to explore the dynamic world of Zalando Marketing Services (ZMS), from storytelling in marketing to the future of customer engagement. Heike explains the objective of ZMS, helping brands connect with their audience, and delves into how ZMS continually adapts to the chang…

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Inside Zalando’s Outlet Store Evolution 18:47

7M ago18:47

18:47

Dorothee Schönfeld, Director of Outlets and Overstocks at Zalando, joins Janine in the studio to share her career journey and her role in shaping Zalando’s outlet store experience. First up, Dorothee takes us through the philosophy behind Zalando’s outlets; from building stores that redefine the outlet shopping experience, embracing the unique char…

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Inside Zalando’s Recruitment with Peter Török 17:35

8M ago17:35

17:35

Peter Török, Employer Branding Manager at Zalando, joins Janine to celebrate the second anniversary of Pieces of Me with a deep dive into Zalando’s employer branding and recruitment. First up, Peter talks us through his own recent journey to Zalando, from Budapest to Berlin, explaining the Zalando recruitment process for anyone considering followin…

1
The Power of Strategic Partnerships in business. 16:58

8M ago16:58

16:58

Jan Muellender is a Senior Vendor Manager at Zalando and he joins Janine in the studio to explain exactly what that entails and how it’s his responsibility to build strong strategic partnerships that help the organisation thrive. Jan breaks down why the role of Senior Vendor Manager is essential within organisations, like Zalando, that have a major…

1
Designing the e-commerce shopper experience 19:05

8M ago19:05

19:05

Gloria Rupprecht, Director of Product Design for Propositions at Zalando, sits down with Janine to discuss her role in creating memorable and distinct e-commerce experiences for customers. Gloria explains the evolution of e-commerce in 2024; how different propositions - from beauty, to sports to technology - each require a distinct and tailored des…

1
Behind the Scenes at zStudios and Zalando’s Iconic Photo Shoots. 18:28

9M ago18:28

18:28

Romy Richter, Senior Partnership Excellence Manager at zStudios, joins Janine to share her career journey and explain the thinking, inspiration and processes behind Zalando photo shoots. Romy covers styling the models, shooting the articles, and the challenges faced during shoots, including the sheer volume of content that her team needs to create.…

1
Unlocking Workplace Innovation: How AI is Shaping the Future at Zalando 17:53

9M ago17:53

17:53

Lutz Enders, Senior Tech Consultant in the Workplace Innovation and Product Team at Zalando, joins Janine in the studio to discuss the transformative role of AI tools for modern careers. First up, Lutz explains that carefully tailoring the right AI solutions for different job functions is key to significantly boost productivity within organisations…

1
The Human Touch in Event Management; what it takes to design and deliver great events for a modern workforce. 18:27

10M ago18:27

18:27

Oliver Ruebenkamp, Senior Lead, Event Management, at Zalando, joins Janine in the studio to discuss his pivotal role in planning and creating a huge range of events at Zalando. First up, Oliver explains the responsibilities of his team, from organising internal workshops and all-hands meetings to coordinating external influencer marketing events. T…

1
Using Data and Building Trust; Customer Relationships in E-Commerce 20:25

10M ago20:25

20:25

Mike Mulligan, Director of Customer Identity & Data at Zalando, joins Janine in the studio to explain what’s meant by customer identity, as well as the importance of building customer trust. First up, Mike unpacks Zalando's approach to customer data and explains why data is the key to building deep customer relationships in e-commerce. Like any rel…

1
Sneaker Trends and Fitness Goals; A Senior Buyer’s Role at Zalando 19:37

11M ago19:37

19:37

Freddy Legatzki, Senior Buyer Sneakers at Zalando, joins Janine in the studio to discuss his career as well as Zalando's Summer of Sports. First up, Freddy explains what a senior buyer role entails, from analysing trade numbers and understanding trend insights to choosing products for Zalando. “Sneaker heads” need to listen closely for updates on u…

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From international perspectives to local insights. A deep dive into Zalando’s retail strategy with Anna Wilk. 18:04

11M ago18:04

18:04

Anna Wilk, Retail Manager for Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia at Zalando, joins Janine to in the studio to explain the importance of a retail manager in the industry, juggling content, the commercial calendar, and local sales strategies and combining an understanding of Zalando’s international strategy with local expertise. Anna explains the…

1
Reimagining Fashion Logistics; the creation of ZEOS. 17:29

12M ago17:29

17:29

Janine sits down with Jan Bartels, SVP of B2B at Zalando, to hear the story of ZEOS, a concept that revolutionises logistics for the fashion and lifestyle retail industry. ZEOS is Zalando's new B2B brand that offers a one-stock-pool solution for brand partners, and the entrepreneurial journey of the last few months has been unique. Because the stor…

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What makes Zalando tick? The importance of building a seamless workplace experience. 19:48

1y ago19:48

19:48

Meg Greenhouse, Senior Vice President at Zalando Technology Foundation (ZTF), joins Janine in the studio to discuss the role of ZTF in providing all the necessary tools and support employees in the modern workplace need, giving us a peak behind the scenes of how an organisation like Zalando functions. Meg leads a team whose role is creating a seaml…

1
Shaping the future of online sales 18:51

1y ago18:51

18:51

Jette Stempel, Head of Central Retail and Sales Campaigns at Zalando, visits the studio to talk with Janine about her career and responsibilities, the changing shape of the industry and her three “Pieces of Me”. Jette’s experience offers all kinds of insights for anyone considering a career in fashion, tech and online sales. She discusses the chang…

1
Understanding the value of quality broadcasting and content production for organisations like Zalando. 17:17

1y ago17:17

17:17

Leon Retief, Team Lead, Broadcasting and Video Production at Zalando, sits down with Janine to discuss his role and where live streaming, video production, and content creation fit in a a fashion and tech retail business Leon explains the process of building up the broadcasting and video production team from scratch at Zalando and the challenges th…

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How company doctors help to shape healthier staff, happier careers, and more effective businesses. 17:27

1y ago17:27

17:27

In this episode, Janine interviews Thorsten Wehrend, the company doctor, to shed light on the crucial role company doctors have in a company like Zalando. As he explains, not everyone at Zalando - or other organisations - is aware of the role company doctors play and better promotion and awareness of their role will build better employee health and…

1
Transforming logistics, navigating engineering leadership and embracing the science of happiness. 20:16

1y ago20:16

20:16

Dan Persa, is Head of Engineering for ZEOS logistics and in this episode he talks to Janine about his role, his career, his approach to leadership and of course his three "Pieces of Me". The conversation covers the groundbreaking ZEOS logistics project at Zalando, which has the potential to transform E-commerce for brands across Europe, as well as …

1
What great leadership looks like in tech and why mentorship in engineering is so important. 18:44

1y ago18:44

18:44

Janine sits down with Dusan Radojevic, Director of Engineering for Customer Facing Applications at Lounge by Zalando, to discuss his career to date and why mentorship and support are so vital for of personal and professional growth. Dusan explains his career to date, why Lounge by Zalando stands out in fashion and tech retails and how the"start-up"…

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The evolution of tech in fashion retail and keeping ahead of changing customer needs. 17:09

1y ago17:09

17:09

In this episode, Janine interviews Maria Dodevska, Engineering Manager in the Site Reliability Engineering department at Zalando. They discuss the role of Maria’s team in building reliable software and providing a seamless customer experience, the evolution of the e-commerce industry over the last five years, and the need for a modern fashion and t…

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Why there is a lack of diversity in tech roles and how the Women in Tech ERG aims to help change that. 21:08

1+ y ago21:08

21:08

Caitriona Bermingham and Hala Al Kuwatly sit down with Janine to discuss the issue of the lack of diversity in tech roles globally. In an episode that focuses on Employee Resource Groups at Zalando, Caitriona and Hala explain how the Women in Tech ERG helps create a voice, advocacy, events and opportunities for women in the tech field, at Zalando a…

1
How prioritising wellbeing accelerates your career and why employee communities focussed on mental health can make fashion and tech retail even more successful. 19:19

1+ y ago19:19

19:19

As part of our ongoing series looking at how Employee Resource Groups can empower organisations and individuals to reach new levels of engagement and cooperation, Janine talks to Karoline Bamberowicz and Sandra Dobiosch from the Mental Wellbeing ERG at Zalando. Karoline and Sandra unpack why they became involved in the ERG, the four pillars behind …

1
Why E-Commerce needs experts in Sustainability Law, with Alexander Dohmen, Senior Legal Counsel, Environmental and Sustainability Law Zalando 19:02

1+ y ago19:02

19:02

This conversation with Alexander Dohmen gives a fascinating insight into how sustainability regulations are shaping the fashion and tech retail sector. Alex, who is not your typical lawyer, explains how Environmental and Sustainability Law is growing to ensure operations run in line with the world's sustainability goals. Understanding and navigatin…

1
In our special anniversary episode, two of the team behind Pieces of Me share their own pieces and discuss why they chose to start the podcast. 20:38

1+ y ago20:38

20:38

We're back after a short winter break and in this episode we're celebrating the first Pieces of Me "pod-iversary". Janine is joined by Aditi Gupte, Employer Branding Team Lead at Zalando. Aditi is one of the main players behind the podcast and together they discuss the importance of great employer branding, why they started Pieces of Me and how a p…

1
We Dress Code: How a passion for gaming and coding can help forge a career in fashion and tech retail, with Martin Schwitalla 16:45

1+ y ago16:45

16:45

Martin Schwitalla, Engineering Manager at Zalando sits down with Janine to discuss how the unlikely inspiration of hours spent gaming has helped shape his career to date. Martin also explains how inventory management works and why it’s a vitally important part of the logistical challenge for fashion and tech retail in the digital age. His three pie…

1
Innovation in the customer journey and embracing change to shape fashion and tech retail, with Kenneth Melchior 17:28

1+ y ago17:28

17:28

Kenneth Melchior, VP of Lounge by Zalando sits down with Janine and explains his current role at Lounge as well as his varied career to date, all across Zalando. Kenneth touches on the innovative "treasure hunt" and short-lived campaign strategies that Lounge by Zalando use to enhance the customer journey. He then goes on to discuss the importance …

1
Empowering colleagues with Employee Resource Groups, with Kerstin Schartner and Elke Fischer from the Neurodiversity ERG at Zalando 20:25

1+ y ago20:25

20:25

Embracing diversity is vital for organisations to thrive in fashion and tech retail. Kerstin and Elke join Janine to discuss the “invisible diversity” of neurodivergent colleagues and the power and impact of the Neurodiversity ERG at Zalando. Kerstin and Elke explain our unconscious biases when it comes to neurodiverse colleagues and bring into the…

1
What does it take to thrive as an Executive Assistant in fashion and tech retail? With Pooja Chibber and Shannon Besim. 20:58

1+ y ago20:58

20:58

Janine sits down with Pooja Chibber and Shannon Besim to unpick the old Hollywood stereotypes about assistants and find out what skills are vital when it comes to keeping leadership teams running effectively and efficiently. Pooja and Shannon discuss the importance of organisational skill, communication, personal resilience, and how the job is a li…

1
Founding Days; a special episode digging deeper into what makes great culture in fashion and tech retail 8:41

1+ y ago8:41

8:41

On this special episode of Pieces of Me, Janine hears from Zalando colleagues from across the business to hear what it means to succeed in fashion and tech retail. Every year, around the anniversary of when the first customer order was made in 2008, Zalando celebrates it’s Founding Days with a special focus on a unique culture in the workplace. In …

1
Understanding Global Project Management with Neha Jain, Lead Program Manager, Global PMO at Zalando 18:42

1+ y ago18:42

18:42

Neha sits down with Janine to explain Project Management in fashion and tech retail and unpack what her role entails and why it's important. Neha touches on new projects that will transform the sector and opens up about the risks and best practice when it comes to new Project Management. Neha's "pieces" reveal her passion for travel and her reasons…

1
How Employee Resource Groups can transform the employee experience with Hassan Elseoudy and Noor Malik, members of the Muslim Community ERG at Zalando 20:05

1+ y ago20:05

20:05

In the second of our episodes looking at how employee resource groups can improve employee experience and onboarding within large businesses, Janine sits down with Hassan Elseoudy and Noor Malik, members of the Muslim Community ERG at Zalando to unpack why the community is so important to them and to the company. Amongst Hassan and Noor's "pieces" …

1
Understanding the role of employee resource groups (ERGs) at work, with Cassandra Pope and Lisanne Dorn Bota from the Black Employee Connection ERG at Zalando. 25:08

1+ y ago25:08

25:08

Cassandra and Lisanne sit down with Janine to discuss their Hopes and objectives for the Black Employee Connection ERG at Zalando, the effects of the Black Lives Matter movement in the work environment and the evolving roles of ERGs within organisations. From a Blackberry to The Matrix on VHS, the ‘pieces’ Cassandra and Lisanne bring into the studi…

1
Online retail and the home and lifestyle brand sector, and with Lilly Tonin from Lounge by Zalando 21:10

2y ago21:10

21:10

Janine sits down with Lilly Tonin from Lounge by Zalando to hear Lilly's insights into the home and lifestyle brands industry and how it works today as well as her career advice for anyone looking to take their first steps in the sector. Lilly's three Pieces of Me reflect her passion for writing, how continual learning is the most important part of…