The supervisory board of Zalando SE has proposed the election of Peter Sarlin as a supervisory board member at the company's annual general meeting on 12 May 2026. This nomination is designed to add dedicated AI expertise to the board as the company scales a wide range of AI innovations to drive growth and efficiency. Sarlin, the founder of Silo AI, Europe's largest private AI lab, and a professor of practice at Aalto University, will succeed Susanne Schroter-Crossan, who is stepping down. Data, machine learning, and AI have been central to Zalando's operations since its founding in 2008. The company is now leveraging its unique data and infrastructure platform, which includes Europe's richest fashion-specific data set and a leading logistics network, to supercharge operations with AI.
The goal is to make internal processes more efficient and to deliver previously impossible experiences and services to customers and partners. The company is embracing what it terms agentic commerce, aiming to create lifestyle agents that understand customer context and proactively serve fashion and lifestyle needs. As part of this evolution, Zalando is developing its Zalando Assistant into a true personal lifestyle companion, enabling new, conversational ways to shop. The company is already collaborating with Sarlin's Qutwo, described as one of Europe's most ambitious AI labs. Kelly Bennett, chairperson of the supervisory board, stated that Sarlin will play a crucial role in governing and scaling AI innovations to unlock value for customers, partners, and the business. The full invitation to the annual general meeting is available on https://corporate.zalando.com. Further corporate information can be found at https://corporate.zalando.com/en.
The nomination underscores Zalando's commitment to embedding advanced AI at the highest governance level to capitalize on the technology's potential. By integrating a recognized AI pioneer like Sarlin into its supervisory structure, Zalando aims to strengthen its leadership in applying AI across its platform, from personalized shopping experiences to backend logistics and partner services. This move highlights the increasing strategic importance of artificial intelligence in the competitive e-commerce landscape, particularly for a platform connecting millions of customers with thousands of brands across multiple markets. The appointment signals a deliberate shift toward formalizing AI oversight and strategy at the board level, which could influence how other technology-driven retailers approach governance and innovation. Embedding such expertise directly into corporate oversight mechanisms is becoming critical for companies seeking to translate technological capabilities into sustainable competitive advantages and operational excellence.
