Shaping retail futures, empowering commerce
Welcome to the personal website of Hannelie van Zoelen, currently CCO at Nelson Schoenen, one of the leading shoe retailers in the Netherlands.
''Building tomorrow’s successful businesses demands sharp strategy, a clear mission, relentless customer focus, smart procurement, top talent, and data-driven innovation''
Areas of expertise
Linking strategy to execution, aligning what matters
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Integrated business solutions that create the fluent operational processes you need to transform people into fans.
BUYING & MERCHANDISING
Pushing your buying and merchandising to the next level using the expertise of leading retail and wholesale brands.
ECOMM, MARKETING & SALES
Customer-centered marketing strategies to help improve the retail and wholesale brand image and sales position.
What moves me forward
Passion
Whatever you do, do it with both heart and mind—it's a lesson I've learned from the CEOs I've worked with throughout my career. Build a business with a clear purpose and a passion that others can truly share. This will ignite real drive, empower people, and spark meaningful progress. A strong chain is built to last—no challenge is too great when you're truly committed.
#empowering, #energetic, #forward
Positivity
Smile a little. For me, leading the way has always meant making colleagues feel at home. Positive leadership builds a culture where people feel valued and creates an environment that welcomes challenges openly. From my experience, it's this kind of leadership that sparks true collaboration and empowers teams to reach new heights - together.
#transformer, #connector, #teamplayer
Entrepreneurship
Go forward, dare to think outside the box, and embrace experimentation—these are lessons I’ve learned navigating fast-paced markets. In today’s dynamic landscape, stepping up the pace is crucial to staying relevant. Stay energized, accelerate your innovation efforts, and always aim to exceed expectations—because the future rewards those who embrace change and modernize.
#opportunity seeker, #solution driven
Honesty
Be honest to gain and regain trust—it's a principle I've always stood by. Agility, integrity, and humbleness are the sustainable building blocks of organizations that see their role as that of a modern servant. Serve with purpose, win with integrity. From my experience, when you truly commit to these values, they create a foundation where teams can thrive, adapt, and grow together, even in the face of uncertainty.
#direct, #realistic, #a-political, #wysiwyg
Career milestones
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of leading commercial growth, buying/merchandising, product development, marketing & brand elevation, and team transformation across dynamic, fast-paced markets in retail and wholesale. In the Benelux and EMEA, Russia and Ukraine, but also in China and the USA. Below is a snapshot of where I’ve made an impact—and how it shaped the executive I am today.
Chief Commercial Officer
2022 - Present
CCO at Nelson Schoenen B.V.
Buying Director EMEA
2020-2022
Leading and managing the transition to OneEurope while driving profit growth, I successfully merged two entities with distinct cultures, commercial channels, systems, and processes in buying, merchandising, and S&OP. This involved enhancing brand perception across EMEA, aligning the Go-to-Market strategy, and implementing new product and distribution segmentations
Product & Merchandising Director EMEA
2014-2020
Leading the product and merchandising strategy, as well as operational processes, for ECCO’s wholesale, franchise, and PanEU E-commerce departments across Europe, Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East. Responsible for overseeing operations in 40 countries, managing 100 owned and operated retail stores, PanEU e-commerce platforms (including Amazon and Zalando), and 4,500 wholesale key accounts, with annual sales of 9 million pairs.
Buying & Marketing Director
2011-2014
Developed and executed the product buying strategy and designed a comprehensive marketing strategy across four brand concepts for Ziengs Schoenen, managing over 100 outlets (both offline and online). This included overseeing Ziengs (80 stores, including e-commerce), Top Merk Schoenen (16 stores), ECCO (10 stores), and Tamaris (2 stores).
Licensing Manager
2007-2011
During my stay at G-Star I defined and implemented the organizational blueprint, leading all processes tied to the global licensing business from start to finish. This included driving new business development, overseeing product development, and managing marketing, finance, legal, logistics, and operational account management. My work directly contributed to extending the brand’s reach and fueling its growth.
Senior Buying Manager
1998 - 2011
Managed and executed product, merchandising, and branding strategies for women's shoes, sneakers, sportswear, and leather accessories. International buying lead in Italy, Spain/Portugal, and the Far East. This role included overseeing product development for outlets and wholesale partners, planning, and market introductions, with distribution across 78 stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
Marketing Manager Europe
1996 - 1998
I was brought on board to bridge the gap between the American and European markets by translating the U.S. marketing and brand strategy into a cohesive European plan. In this role, I led and executed all marketing activities across Europe for the US skate and snowboard brand, overseeing a €6M annual marketing budget. My efforts were key in aligning the brand’s vision with local trends, ensuring a seamless connection with European consumers
Junior Buying & Marketing
1995
Junior buyer and marketeer at Edison Brother Stores Inc. / Bakers / Lees in St. Louis, USA.
Let's connect
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Have a nice day © Hannelie van Zoelen | Amsterdam | 2025