Zalando

E-CommerceFounded 2008

Market Data Current As Of: September 12, 2026

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Zalando

E-CommerceFounded 2008

Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya

Last reviewed: September 12, 2026

Market Data Current As Of: September 12, 2026

Founders

Who Founded Zalando?

· Founded 2008 · Berlin, Germany

Founding Story

Zalando is Europe's leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 2008 by Robert Gentz and David Schneider, Zalando transformed European retail by introducing free deliveries and 100-day returns, growing from a basement footwear shop into a DAX-listed powerhouse serving over 50 million active consumers across 25 countries. In fiscal year 2026, Zalando generated approximately $11.5 billion in annual revenue, operating 12 automated distribution hubs and processing over €15 billion in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV).

Zalando: CEO & Leadership History

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Sandra Dembeck

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

2022 – Present

Restored adjusted EBIT margins toward 5%, delivering over €350 million in adjusted EBIT and building a fortress balance sheet with over €2.5 billion in cash liquidity.

Robert Gentz

Co-Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

2008 – Present

Transformed an apartment-based footwear shop into Europe's premier fashion e-commerce ecosystem, generating over €10.1 billion in revenue across 25 European nations.

David Schneider

Co-Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

2008 – Present

Onboarded over 7,000 brand partners and established Zalando as an indispensable digital storefront for European apparel and luxury designers.

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Zalando vs Amazon.com, Inc. →Zalando vs JD.com →Zalando vs Alibaba Group Holding Limited →Zalando vs Flipkart →Zalando vs JioMart →

Who Founded Zalando? FAQ

Who founded Zalando and in what year was it established?

Zalando was founded in 2008 by Robert Gentz, David Schneider in Berlin, Germany.

What was the original founding vision for Zalando?

The founders established Zalando with the objective of solving core inefficiencies in E-Commerce, Online Fashion Retail, Logistics & Lifestyle Marketplace, laying the foundation for its current global scale.

How does Zalando preserve its founding principles today?