Zalora names new CEO

Global Fashion Group, owner of online fashion store Zalora Group, has hired Gunjan Soni as CEO, effective early 2019.

Soni joins from Myntra, India’s largest ecommerce fashion brand, where she is currently CMO and head of Jabong, one of Myntra’s ecommerce portals. Before this, Soni was executive vice president at Star India, and also worked for many years at McKinsey, launching the consultancy’s scientific marketing practice in India.

With 13 years’ industry experience, Soni is credited with reversing the fortunes of Jabong after Myntra acquired it, and also for growing Myntra into the market leader it is today.  She replaces Parker Gundersen, who stepped down as CEO in February citing personal reasons.

Soni said she feels privileged to lead Zalora “at a time when Southeast Asian markets are poised for increasing fashion and ecommerce consumption”.

Cynthia Gordon, chairman of Global Fashion Group, said: “Gunjan has deep operational knowledge and an impressive track record in leading teams across different functions in e-commerce. Her experience in managing a large organisation and region will be a strong foundation for Zalora to continue building its strong presence in Southeast Asia.”

Zalora's brand ranking in Asia's Top 1000 Brands slipped in 2018 despite an uptick among many fast fashion and eretail brands.