When Nataliia Bertrand moved to the Netherlands in 2010 to study, she thought it would be just a few years abroad before returning home to Ukraine. But life had other plans. During her time at university, she met her partner, Paul, and later landed her dream job in fashion. Fifteen years on, she’s still here. No longer with that first employer, but now in another dream role: Head of Product, Loyalty & Customer at Ahold Delhaize.
from Ukraine to the Netherlands
Moving countries I was only sixteen when I enrolled at HAN University of Applied Sciences in Arnhem to study International Business and Management. I had always been independent, but moving to a new country and leaving behind everything familiar pushed me out of my comfort zone. Once I found my rhythm, I had the most amazing time. The program, the people I met, biking everywhere, student life in general – it was an incredible experience.
Passion for fashion After my studies, I landed a job at Tommy Hilfiger, where I had previously interned. I have followed fashion trends for as long as I can remember. To me, fashion is a form of self-expression and a way to boost confidence. I love the creativity and energy of that world. But after seven and a half years in the industry, I felt it was time for something new.
From fashion to food retail I knew exactly what I was looking for in my new role: it had to be in product, within a direct-to-consumer environment, at a company with real scale. Scale is key in loyalty – the more users and insights you have, the bigger the impact you can make. Ahold Delhaize ticked all the boxes. On top of that, it was in a completely different industry, which made the opportunity even more exciting. It gave me the chance to see the field through a new perspective and to learn from experienced professionals in product and digital.
Shaping loyalty and personalization at scale “One of the biggest changes for me was the scope. At my previous job, I focused on a single brand. At Ahold Delhaize, I work across many of ourbrands in countries like Greece, Serbia, Czech Republic, Belgium, and Romania – all household names in their local markets. For each, we’re shaping loyalty and personalization to deliver the best possible customer experience and business results.
defining Digital
Milestones The biggest milestone of this past year was the unified modular app launch for five of our European brands. We converged into one seamless in-app customer experience that works across markets, while retaining the flexibility to offer brand-unique experiences. Achieving this balance was a real challenge. This app is more than just a new face – it’s a complete tech transformation that enables cost savings, faster delivery, greater collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.
Maximizing value Essentially, my role is all about maximizing value. That’s also where the challenge lies. Every day is a balancing act between commercial goals and customer experience, between long-term vision and short-term impact. We’re constantly making smart trade-offs about where to invest our time and resources. Being part of a large international group adds another layer: we leverage scale where it makes sense but stay agile and relevant to each local market. What works in Belgium might not work in Serbia. That variety keeps it incredibly interesting. Every month brings a new project or value proposition to develop.
A unified loyalty vision Besides launching multiple digital loyalty propositions and a subscription model, I particularly enjoyed working on a more strategic initiative: defining a unified loyalty vision for five brands across multiple countries. We shaped the key strategic choices, identified the required capabilities, and built a multi-year roadmap – now in the process of being brought to life. One of the upcoming features leverages personalization and gamification principles, and is expected to deliver significant ROI, inspired by the strong results achieved by our colleagues at Food Lion in the U.S.
Biggest eye opener I was truly astonished by what it takes to deliver a grocery order to our homes. As my colleague Marcel put it: “When you shop in-store, you do all the work: drive there and back, pick the products, pack them. With home delivery, we do it all for you. In our home shopping centers, shelf-filling, packing, and delivery processes are organized with incredible efficiency – every small detail is carefully designed to ensure the perfect order.” Many of the challenges we face extend beyond my immediate scope but knowing how our work fits into the bigger picture is key to making smart, impactful decisions.
Looking forward to the future What excites me most about the future of my field isn’t just the productivity gains AI brings – it’s the opportunity to create entirely new products and services that solve real customer problems in ways we couldn’t before. After more than 11 years working in digital, I can confidently say that the way we shop – and even the shape of my day-to-day work – will look completely different just three years from now. That change is something I genuinely look forward to.
Ahold Delhaize in one word If I had to describe the company culture in one word, it would be ‘diverse’. The teams, the people, the cultures, the types of challenges we tackle: everything we do reflects that word.
Healthier choices I am really into living a healthy lifestyle, so it’s very rewarding to work for a company that has the tech, the scale, and the reach to actually help people make healthier choices. Through targeted loyalty programs, we can nudge customers in the right direction – and that’s something I’m proud to contribute to. Being part of the newly launched Healthy Future Academy, Ahold Delhaize’s internal learning program, takes that sense of purpose even further. If we want to inspire customers to build healthier habits, we need to ensure all associates understand what that means in practice. Whether you’re a data analyst or a brand manager, everyone should feel empowered to help shape a healthier future.
Steep learning curve Development and growth start with open conversations about your ambitions and plans with your manager. Personally, I’m very clear about the areas that interest me and the kind of projects I’d like to be involved in. People are always happy to support and help me find ways to grow. For instance, I found out about this great global program on Product Management that is renowned for people in product who want to stay on top of their game. When I brought it up with my manager, she immediately said we could get a membership. Also, last year, I had the opportunity to attend a leadership course at Cornell University in New York. It was an amazing experience and allowed me to learn a lot beyond my daily work.
more to life that work
Balanced lifestyle advocate Sports, cooking, and good food are some of my favorite ways to unwind after a busy day. I also start each morning with a guided mindfulness practice, followed by a freshly brewed V60 filter coffee. To stay in tune with my well-being, I wear a ring that tracks nearly everything – from sleep and stress to activity and workouts. It reminds me to slow down when I need rest, push a little harder when I have the energy, and stay consistent in caring for both body and mind.
Meeting people There are many other things that bring me joy: an evening walk on the beach, art, dinner with friends, or a deep conversation with a friend or even a random stranger. Meeting people who see the world differently or do something completely different is one of the things I enjoy most. Getting to know them and their stories and worlds inspires me greatly.
Name: Nataliia Bertrand (1993)
Started working at Ahold Delhaize: March 2021
Education: BA in International Business and Management, HAN University of Applied Sciences (2014), including a semester abroad at the University of Economics, Prague
Living with: My partner, Paul
Wake me up in the middle of the night for: Only for an emergency – I really like my sleep
Favorite holiday destination: The Greek islands
Life-changing event: Moving to the Netherlands, and the war in Ukraine. It’s had a deep impact on me and completely turned my view on the world upside down. I grew up thinking wars happened far away, and now my own country is at war
Best advice I’ve ever received: ’You can’t change the circumstances, but you can change how you respond to them’
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