JD.com vs Zalando: Founders, CEOs and History
JD.com was founded in 1998 by Richard Liu Qiangdong and is led by Sandy Xu Ran. Zalando was founded in 2008 by Robert Gentz, David Schneider and is led by Robert Gentz, David Schneider.
Company facts
Founders
JD.com
Richard Liu Qiangdong
Richard Liu Qiangdong founded JD.com in Beijing in June 1998 as Jingdong, a small counter in the Zhongguancun electronics market selling magneto-optical drives. He built a reputation for genuine products in a market known for fakes.
Zalando
Robert Gentz
Robert Gentz co-founded Zalando in Berlin in 2008 with David Schneider and has served as Co-CEO since. He led the company through its 2014 IPO, its 2021 DAX inclusion and the 2025 ABOUT YOU acquisition. Robert Gentz was born in 1983.
David Schneider
David Schneider co-founded Zalando in 2008 alongside Robert Gentz. Backed by the highly aggressive, legendary German startup incubator Rocket Internet, Schneider helped blatantly clone the American Zappos model.
CEOs and their tenures
JD.com
- Richard Liu1998–2022
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
He built JD.com around its own logistics network and listed it on Nasdaq in 2014. He handed the chief executive role to Xu Lei in April 2022 and remained chairman.
Source - Xu Lei2022–2023
CEO
Xu played a critical role in establishing the '618' mid-year shopping festival into China's second-largest nationwide retail event.
Source - Sandy Xu Ran2023–present
CEO
A former PwC audit partner who joined JD as CFO in 2018, Xu has run JD with a focus on cost discipline and shareholder returns, while backing big new bets in food delivery and Europe.
Source
Zalando
- Robert Gentz2008–present
Co-founder & Co-CEO
Founder-led management of Zalando for its whole history.
Source - David Schneider2008–present
Co-founder & Co-CEO
As Co-Founder and Co-CEO, he drives the absolute core brand relationships and highly lucrative expansion into premium luxury fashion segments.
Source - Anna Dimitrova2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
As a key financial executive, she helps navigate the highly complex logistics costs of offering free shipping and returns across heavily fragmented European borders.
Source
Timeline: JD.com and Zalando side by side
1998JD.com
Richard Liu Qiangdong founds Jingdong Century in a 4-square-meter stall in Beijing's Zhongguancun.
2003JD.com
SARS epidemic closes physical shops; Liu begins selling electronic components online.
2004JD.com
Permanently shuts physical retail stalls to launch e-commerce website jdlaser.com.
2007JD.com
Raises $10 million from Capital Today; takes radical strategic decision to build in-house JD Logistics.
2008Zalando
Zalando founded in Berlin by Robert Gentz and David Schneider.
2010JD.com
Launches the 618 Mid-Year Shopping Festival, transforming it into a nationwide commercial event.
2010Zalando
First markets outside German-speaking Europe
Zalando launched in the Netherlands and France, its first non-German-speaking markets, and added apparel to its original shoe range.
2014JD.com
Lists on NASDAQ (JD), raising about $1.78 billion, after Tencent takes a strategic stake and links JD to WeChat.
2014Zalando
IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
2016JD.com
Forms strategic alliance with Walmart, taking over Yihaodian in exchange for JD shares.
2018Zalando
Beauty Category Launched
Zalando began selling beauty products in 2018.
2020JD.com
Completes secondary listing on Hong Kong Stock Exchange (9618); spins off JD Health in $3.5B IPO.
2020Zalando
Acquired Fision
Zalando acquired Fision.
2021JD.com
JD Logistics completes separate $3.2 billion IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2618).
2021Zalando
Joined the DAX; Rubin Ritter stepped down as Co-CEO.
2022JD.com
JD Logistics acquires a controlling stake in Deppon Logistics; Xu Lei becomes CEO as Richard Liu stays Chairman.
2022Zalando
Acquired Highsnobiety (majority stake)
Zalando acquired Highsnobiety (majority stake).
2023JD.com
CFO Sandy Xu Ran becomes CEO in May 2023.
2023Zalando
Job Cuts
Zalando said in February 2023 that it would cut several hundred jobs.
2024JD.com
Walmart sells its entire JD.com stake in August 2024.
2025JD.com
Launches JD Food Delivery; makes a tender offer for Ceconomy (MediaMarkt, Saturn); revenue reaches ~$182 billion (RMB1,309.1 billion).
2025Zalando
ABOUT YOU acquisition closed on 11 July; FY revenue reached ~$13.9 billion (€12.3 billion).
2026JD.com
Q2 revenue falls 2.9% while non-GAAP profit rises 20.8%; Ceconomy deal wins conditional German approval.
2026Zalando
Announced a buy-back of up to $339 million (€300 million); narrowed 2026 adjusted EBIT guidance to €680-720 million in August.
Acquisitions
JD.com
- Ceconomy AG2025Undisclosed
- Deppon Logistics2022$1.4B
- China Logistics Property Holdings (CNLP)2022Undisclosed
- Yihaodian2016Undisclosed
Zalando
- ABOUT YOU2025Undisclosed
- Highsnobiety (majority stake)2022Undisclosed
- Fision2020Undisclosed
Questions about JD.com vs Zalando
Who is the CEO of JD.com and Zalando?
JD.com is led by Sandy Xu Ran and Zalando is led by Robert Gentz, David Schneider. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was JD.com founded vs Zalando?
JD.com was founded in 1998 — 10 years before Zalando, which was founded in 2008. JD.com's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Zalando.
How many employees does JD.com have compared to Zalando?
JD.com employs approximately 776,682 people, while Zalando employs approximately 15,500. JD.com has the larger workforce at 776,682 employees, compared to Zalando's 15,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are JD.com and Zalando headquartered?
JD.com is headquartered in China and Zalando is headquartered in Germany. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded JD.com and Zalando?
JD.com was founded by Richard Liu Qiangdong. Zalando was founded by Robert Gentz, David Schneider.
Which company has a longer operating history — JD.com or Zalando?
JD.com has been operating for approximately 28 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Zalando has been in operation for around 18 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the JD.com vs Zalando overview