The Delivery - An Inside Zalando podcast

In this episode, we’re unboxing AI in creative work with Yana Nenadovich, Head of Brand and Creative, and Maru Cabrera, Senior Art Director.
They share how their teams at Lounge by Zalando use AI to create content, connect with customers and rethink creative possibilities. 

They also explore how to balance the growing demand for content with authentic storytelling – and why embracing failure is part of the process.

To find out more about jobs at Zalando, head over to jobs.zalando.de

Yana and Maru discuss:

• Scaling content while protecting localisation across 25 markets
• Choosing where AI works best and where human connection matters more
• Creating a test-and-learn culture where failure is part of the process
• Embracing the learning curve when tools develop faster or slower than expected
• Finding curious colleagues and giving them the trust to lead AI adoption

In this episode of The Delivery Podcast, Lisa Wong, Head of Integrated Proposition Marketing, sits down with Philani Kheswa, Head of Strategy & Projects, to discuss the launch of the new Home and Lifestyle category. 

They explore the strategies, problem-solving mindsets, and internal alignment required to build a major new retail venture from scratch.

To find out more about jobs at Zalando, head over to jobs.zalando.de

Philani and Lisa discuss:

• Winning the support of commercial partners and internal stakeholders.
• The unexpected operational and technical challenges they needed to solve.
• Testing the new retail category before committing significant resources.
• Finding the “unsung heroes” who help turn difficult ideas into reality.
• Managing expectations, capacity and competing priorities across the company.
• Building the foundations for sustainable growth and then scaling new business propositions.

What defines a queer space? Laura Veneklaas, Global Marketing Campaigns Manager, and Marcos Cabrera Garcia, Creative Director, share some thoughts from the Zalando global Pride campaign, ‘The spaces that made us: a love letter to queer spaces’.

In this episode, Laura and Marcos join our host Janine to talk queer culture, community-led storytelling and the power of creating safe spaces.

Their Pieces of Me include a morning reflection notebook, a cowboy hat from an Australian adventure and a very special four-legged office companion named Ziggy.

To find out more about jobs at Zalando, head over to jobs.zalando.de.

In this episode, Samuel Tallant, Talent Acquisition Partner at Zalando, joins our host Janine to talk about crafting a CV that tells your true story. They discuss CV structuring, the power of authenticity in interviews and how to create impactful spaces for LGBTQI+ leaders.

Samuel also shares his three Pieces of Me. These include stacked family rings featuring a beloved dog's nose imprint,  a trusted blue notebook tracking his career from day one and a festive team photo booth picture. 

To find out more about jobs at Zalando, head over to jobs.zalando.de.

What makes a brand sound like itself? Sim LeCompte, Creative Director and Copywriter at Zalando, has some thoughts. 

In this episode, Sim joins our host Janine to talk bold ideas, inclusive language and the little twist that makes copy stick. 

Her three Pieces of Me include a well-loved leather notebook she's been journaling in every day since 2020, a campaign that made history at Cannes Lions and the podcast that helped her land the job.

To find out more about jobs like Sim's go to jobs.zalando.de

Juan Garcia, strategy expert in go-to-market initiatives in Sports at Zalando, joins Janine to explain how sports is at the cutting edge of shaping customer experience online. And to unveil his team’s strategic partnership with the iconic German Football Federation and the new jersey customisation options at Zalando

Juan also dives into how innovative thinking, with the customers at the heart of everything, has allowed the team to tap into new markets. The conversation covers the mindset behind delivering Zalando’s large-scale projects, with Juan highlighting the importance of breaking down big ambitions into manageable steps.

His Pieces of Me include a collection of medals and perhaps most importantly… a broken padlock?

To find out more about careers like Juan’s go to jobs.zalando.de

Giannina Rengifo, Senior Buyer in Zalando’s Sports category, joins Janine Matos to explore how passion, data, and new AI technology are coming together in one of fashion’s fastest-growing areas.

Giannina shares how the sports category has evolved - from huge growth and new customer acquisition to high profile events like the Berlin Marathon and major partnerships in football.

She explains what it takes to manage Zalando’s diverse portfolio of sports, and how deep product knowledge is built through data, brand collaboration, and constant learning.

The conversation also highlights how the company is continuously evolving the online sports shopping experience with better filtering and the development off remarkable AI tools.

Giannina’s “Pieces of Me” reflect her journey and mindset along with one key career belief: play to win, dare to fail.

To find out more about career’s like Giannina's, visit jobs.zalando.de

Virginie Duigou, Head of Buying for Beauty at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore the relatively new and dynamic world of beauty e-commerce.

How do you sell beauty products online, when customers traditionally need to touch, smell and discover new products in person?

Virginie explains how Zalando sells beauty online with emotional storytelling and innovations like virtual try-ons, as well as the impact of emerging trends, especially Korean beauty products.

Janine and Virginie also discuss her leadership journey, the importance of strong team relationships, and how yoga is a a super power to boost personal and career development.

To find out more about careers like Virginie's, visit [email protected]

Max Thompson, Head of Executive Recruiting at Zalando, joins Janine to lift the lid on how global organisations find and hire new leaders.

Max opens up about how Zalando approaches executive hiring; from shaping the roles, understanding the values and mindset required, and then searching internally and externally for exactly the right candidate.

The conversation highlights the importance of cultural fit, and diversity, and inclusion to help ensure leadership reflects a broad range of perspectives and Max also explains the vital role of internal mobility, why identifying and developing talent from within is key.

Max’s “Pieces of Me” are deeply personal and he opens up about difficult times and moving past them. He reflects on the importance of authenticity, self-awareness, and choosing purpose over ego when navigating our careers.

To find out more about careers like Max's visit jobs.zalando.de

Paul O’Neill, Head of Creator Programs at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore how influencer collaborations, storytelling, and data come together to shape modern fashion marketing.

Paul explains how Zalando works with hundreds of creators across global campaigns, creating content in different styles and voices to inspire customers fashion and beauty choices.

The conversation also looks at how Zalando is building a stronger creator community through special events that creators develop new skills.

Paul touches on the importance of balancing bold ideas with pragmatic solutions and his“Pieces of Me” represent a focus creativity, career choices and a thirst for adventure.

To find out more about careers like Paul’s visit jobs.zalando.de