Nikola Karamalakov

Delivering flawless operational experiences to Europe's ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle

Berlin, Berlin, Germany

About

Guiding a team of highly skilled and creative individuals in conceiving and bringing to life the next generation of physical and digital B2B logistics solutions, creating a Europe-out-of-a-box product ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle players.

Experience

  • Zalando (Berlin, Germany · Hybrid)
    • Head of Partner Care & "AI guy"
      Aug 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 11 mos

      Operating and evolving a large-scale B2B customer support platform for thousands of fashion and lifestyle merchants on the Zalando marketplace and beyond. Developing and deploying cutting edge automation and AI (Salesforce, OpenAI, Gemini) solutions to boost efficiency, customer satisfaction and shift the paradigm of B2B support in terms of quality, expedience and enablement. Managing a multi-vendor pool of outsourced specialists to provide exhaustive operational coverage across multiple channels and hundreds of support scenarios.

    • Head Of Strategic Business Development at Zalando Logistics Solutions
      Aug 2022 - Aug 2023 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Identifying new business opportunities and executing key strategic projects towards attaining a leading market position across Europe's eCommerce channels for fashion and lifestyle. Launching Zalando's Multichannel Fulfillment (now under the ZEOS brand) by externalising the Zalando Group's logistical and digital services and allowing merchants to operate across a myriad of retail platforms. Providing strategic guidance and leadership on novel business models based on deep market insights and a long-term, strategic view of the evolution and potential disruptions in the eCommerce logistics space, both physical and digital. Obtaining and turning market and competitive insights into executable business models, delivering and scaling these for transition into line operations, offering outstanding convenience and efficiency to B2B partners and end customers alike.

  • Lufthansa Technik Logistik GmbH (11 yrs 11 mos)
    • Head of Supply Chain Management Components
      Oct 2016 - Aug 2022 · 5 yrs 11 mos

      - Logistics network design for one of Lufthansa Technik's strongest business segments - the Aircraft Component Repair and Supply – supporting more than 4000 aircraft worldwide with a multitude of international, in-house and outsourced warehouses and a broad, multi-modal transportation network - Ownership and implementation of infrastructure projects and major optimisation programmes with a focus on cost-optimal turn-around times and seamless process integration between production and logistics. - Strategic design of new logistics products and counselling on major projects and matters of topology, supporting the company’s internationalisation strategy - Commercial steering, forecasting and budgeting for the entire logistics portfolio - Performance analytics, reporting and management in close collaboration with internal counterparts, especially purchasing, service provider management and logistics software competence centres. - Transport management operations for both Lufthansa Technik's components business, as well as her base maintenance sites, LH Group airlines and external customers (via the Logistics Center at Lufthansa Technik Sofia) - Hiring, leadership and talent management for approximately 120, highly-committed logistics experts, spread across two countries and four teams.

    • Manager Logistics Center
      May 2011 - Oct 2016 · 5 yrs 6 mos

      - Material flow management for MRO's, airlines and OEM's for export and import (app. 40K events p.a.) - International airfreight, seafreight, road transportation and special transportation solutions - Exception handling, customer service, optimization of logistics networks. - Application development and design for track and trace purposes, LEAN IT, interface optimization.

    • Projektreferent NEK
      Oct 2010 - May 2011 · 8 mos

      Transportkoordination für die Neue Europa Kabine

  • Intern / Praktikant at Lufthansa Technik Sofia
    Feb 2010 - Oct 2010 · 9 mos

    LEAN Optimization and Analyses of the buying and warehousing processes.