ZALANDO SE - UNSPONSORED ADR Business Summary

Zalando SE operates a dual-vector platform model as Europe’s leading online destination for fashion and lifestyle, generating revenue through a mix of direct retail sales, marketplace commissions, retail media services, and B2B infrastructure fees. The company is organized into two primary business segments: B2C, which encompasses its multi-brand fashion store, the Lounge by Zalando shopping club, and the recently integrated ABOUT YOU subsidiary; and B2B, which provides a comprehensive e-commerce operating system through its ZEOS fulfillment network and SCAYLE enterprise software. Zalando distinguishes itself in the market by transitioning from a traditional retailer to an interconnected commerce infrastructure powered by advanced AI and agentic commerce capabilities. It competes directly with global and regional players such as ASOS, Farfetch, and Amazon, maintaining its leadership through a massive active customer base of over 62 million and a specialized pan-European logistics footprint. Founded in 2008 by Robert Gentz and David Schneider, the company is led by a management team with deep roots in European technology and finance. The current leadership includes Co-CEOs Robert Gentz and David Schröder, both of whom are alumni of the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management; Schröder previously served as CFO and COO before assuming his current role. Anna Dimitrova joined the board as Chief Financial Officer in January 2026, bringing over two decades of experience from executive roles at Vodafone and Deutsche Glasfaser. The company’s strategic direction is further guided by a high-profile Supervisory Board chaired by Kelly Bennett (formerly of Netflix) and featuring notable members such as Bestseller CEO Anders Holch Povlsen, Delivery Hero CEO Niklas Östberg, and AI pioneer Peter Sarlin. Major shareholders include Povlsen, BlackRock, and the founding team, who collectively maintain a significant stake in the firm’s long-term growth.