“As a leader it’s your job to inspire”: 10 lessons from Marc Opelt, ex-CEO of OTTO

The E-commerce Berlin Expo celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2026. To mark this milestone, we interviewed some of the world’s most influential leaders about the future of online retail, asking them to share their 10 valuable lessons in e-commerce. Their insights were featured in our special album, showcasing the most powerful voices in online retail, which we will now share with you on E-commerce Germany News.

This time, we’re featuring an exclusive interview with Marc Opelt, ex-CEO of OTTO. Be sure to check out his insights below!

FROM MODEST BEGINNINGS TO BIG SUCCESS

What first drew you to this industry?

MARC: OTTO started as a mail-order company. The catalogue was still the only way for our customers to order items when I first started as a marketing assistant in 1990. The e-commerce industry as such didn’t even exist yet, but there was a lot of excitement and promise about this new thing that was the Internet. In Germany, we were among the first to see its potential when we launched otto.de in 1995. Today, we are the largest German online retailer with more than 18 million items on our platform. I can confidently say that our leap of faith paid off.

Which early failure taught you something that still guides you today?

MARC: I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved and how OTTO has developed as a platform. But at times, we could have been faster in making some of the bolder moves. Today, we are much more pragmatic, for instance, when it comes to technological developments. We adhere to a test & learn or MVP (Minimum Viable Product) philosophy. So even when a feature isn’t 110 percent ready, we’ll put it live, gather insights and then improve upon it. This approach has served us well in developing products and features that are tailored to our customers’ needs.

Quote / Marc Opelt, ex-CEO of OTTO

Optimization is important, innovation and disruption are critical (…) Only if we continuously push the envelope and think outside the box can we stay relevant and achieve a better experience for our customers for years to come.

When you think of the past decade of e-commerce, what do you miss – and what are you glad we left behind?

MARC: 2025 marked our 30th online anniversary. Back in 1995, there was a lot of excitement in the air about where this new technology might lead us, how we could create and shape this new paradigm. It’s easy to be nostalgic about those pioneering days. However, we live in a strikingly similar time right now: AI is poised to once more upend the status quo. There is a tremendous opportunity in harnessing its potential to improve our customers’ shopping experience yet again.

What is the single most important business lesson you have learned throughout your career?

MARC: Optimization is important, innovation and disruption are critical. Of course, we always aim to improve upon existing processes and features. But only if we continuously push the envelope and think outside the box can we stay relevant and achieve a better experience for our customers for years to come.

How would you define success in e-commerce today, and how has your view of it changed over time?

MARC: One of the things that defines OTTO as a company is that we have never compromised on our values, be it in terms of sustainability or the quality of our products. Today, there is an ever-increasing tendency of certain competitors to disregard all of this just to be able to offer products at the lowest possible price. More than ever, true success – for me – means staying true to one’s core beliefs, while also satisfying customer needs both in terms of product quality and service offerings.

CHANGES ARE COMING

What do you see as the biggest opportunity in e-commerce today?

MARC: We are in a unique position to forge a new path ahead. The way in which consumers shop online is about to fundamentally change, and we get to be at the forefront of this. The new age of ‘AI Commerce’ will afford us new opportunities to help customers on their individual journeys. For instance, our recently launched AI assistant will soon be voice-supported so that customers will be able to have an actual conversation to find the right product for their needs.

Quote / Marc Opelt, ex-CEO of OTTO

As a leader, it is your job to inspire. You need to instill in your teams the desire to continuously drive innovation in an industry that is in a constant state of flux.

What’s the most counterintuitive or unconventional thing your company does today that actually works?

MARC: Again, adhering to a certain set of standards even when faced with tremendous pressure from competitors who systematically forego quality and safety regulations. I am very proud that our customers value our quality assortment and services.

What guiding principle do you personally refuse to compromise on, no matter the trend or pressure?

MARC: I believe in people and in the way that ideas can bounce off one another. And while AI is a powerful tool that we employ along our value chain, I think there is great value in maintaining a corporate culture rooted in dialogue, discussion and a common understanding of our goals.

Looking ahead, what will define the next decade of e-commerce, and how does thinking about the future make you feel – optimistic, excited, concerned, or something else?

MARC: AI will be the defining factor in the years to come. And while there is huge potential in that, we also need to do our homework: Agent readability will be crucial. But we also need to think about how we will get consumers to interact with our brand in a time when vast portions of the shopping experience are outsourced to third-party agents.

If you could leave a message for future e-commerce leaders, what would it be?

MARC: As a leader, it is your job to inspire. You need to instill in your teams the desire to continuously drive innovation in an industry that is in a constant state of flux. This way, you won’t just be subject to change – you’ll actively shape the transformation.

Marc Opelt’s bio:

Marc Opelt has spent 35 years in senior positions within the Otto Group, including as OTTO Chief Marketing Officer since 2012 and as chair of the OTTO Management Board (CEO) since 2018. He retired in March 2026 and was succeeded by Dr. Boris Ewenstein.

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