Valentin Romanov showed his A-game and asked for more responsibility. After just over a year in Axfood IT he advanced from an application specialist to a systems head for Axfood’s e-commerce. Since 2019 he is working with business development in digitization and e-commerce.
Valentin Romanov showed his A-game and asked for more responsibility. After just over a year in Axfood IT he advanced from an application specialist to a systems head for Axfood’s e-commerce. Since 2019 he is working with business development in digitization and e-commerce.
How did you end up at Axfood?
– I was working as a consultant and was looking for something more long-term. I became aware of the Axel Johnson Group when I was working on a consulting assignment for Åhléns. Then I heard Antonia Ax:son Johnson on Radio Sweden’s “Summer Talk” radio programme and on the Värvet podcast. Something resonated in me. I liked her ideas about diversity. Axfood has a good grip on its business and IT. It feels very stable – at the same time that a lot is happening. There is room to grow, to be yourself, and to make a difference.
You started as an application specialist, but quickly climbed the ranks...
– Yes, it’s very exciting. I felt there was more I could do and take responsibility for, so I said this to my boss. My hat is off to him for giving me the opportunity. I became a system manager and made a career in IT. I then began to work in business development when I was ready for new challenges in July 2019.
Who would you recommend to apply for a job with Axfood IT?
– I have actually urged several of my old colleagues to apply for work here. It’s a great place to develop for those who have worked in the industry for a long time. But new graduates in systems sciences should also apply here. There is room for those who want to work long-term with various issues and at the same time there is space for those who want to work with slightly more exploratory things that are launched on the market more quickly.
– For me, Axfood has been a very good school in how IT and business development at a large company should work. It is fun because we work with a long-term focus and a fast pace in parallel. We can decide on something, and four weeks later we are conducting a launch. At the same time, we have long processes with two major launches a year. It’s like combining a 100 metre dash with a marathon!
Can you give me an example of a project you are extra proud of when it comes to enabling customer experience?
– I have been working on scaling up the Urban Deli På Väg concept together with a colleague. We developed the customer experience from start to finish and worked on everything from marketing to how the website should look. We bought and adapted new cars and found the right places in Stockholm where the cars could be parked. The custom-built cars are now delivering the city's tastiest dinner bags and portioned dishes all over Stockholm. A really good collaboration and concept. It enables customers in larger parts of Stockholm to take part in Urban Deli's offer.
What does the future hold?
– We will continue to run innovation projects around e-commerce and digitization to improve the customer experience but also to find new ways to reach the customer.