Zalando co-chief executive to step down
Zalando has announced that Rubin Ritter has decided to step down from his role as co-chief executive at its 2021 AGM.
In addition, the company said its supervisory board will be working with Ritter to dissolve his contract which runs until November 2023.
In a statement, Ritter said he wanted to leave the company to explore new interests outside of Zalando, spend more time with his growing family, and make his wife’s career a priority in the coming years.
He added: “Zalando has allowed me to be part of a stunning success story that has exceeded my wildest dreams. I will be transitioning out of my role at a time where the company continues to accelerate and remains uniquely positioned for future success. Zalando’s role in the European digital economy will further grow, and in my remaining months I will ensure that we continue to rapidly advance the execution of our strategy.”
Zalando was founded in 2008 by Robert Gentz and David Schneider. Since 2010, the business has been led by Ritter. Gentz and Schneider who are all co-chief executives. During this time, it has grown from a startup to an online platform with 14,000 employees. Gentz and Schneider will continue to lead Zalando after Ritter’s departure.
Cristina Stenbeck, chairperson of Zalando, said: “During the nine years I have known Rubin, I have seen first hand the kind of commitment, strategic clarity and decisive leadership that Rubin has brought to Zalando. As we look to end arguably the most extraordinary year of Zalando’s history we can only be immensely grateful to Rubin and the broader leadership team for the position of strength in which Zalando finds itself today.”
