TechLab by Bol

What this episode coversJoin us for an inspiring and in-depth conversation with Ronald van Rijn, Senior Director of Engineering at bol.com (http://bol.com/), as he reflects on his first 100 days in the role. Ronald shares insights from his journey—starting as a passionate programmer with a Commodore 64 to becoming a leader of over 900 engineers. Discover how his experience as a former CTO, volleyball athlete, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast shapes his leadership style and problem-solving approach. Learn how he tackles challenges like scaling technology teams, fostering impactful innovation, and creating an environment where engineers thrive. Tune in to hear about his plans for bol.com (http://bol.com/)'s future and valuable lessons in navigating discomfort and change.

What this episode coversIn this episode, we dive into the world of canary releases—a modern deployment strategy that minimizes risk while delivering new features to users. Joined by Sonja Nesic and Diego Lira, we explore how tools like Argo Rollouts empower teams to test in production safely, offering seamless integration with Kubernetes environments. Learn how automatic rollbacks can safeguard your deployments and why progressive delivery is becoming a must-have for agile teams. Whether you're new to canary releases or looking to refine your strategy, this conversation is packed with insights and best practices to elevate your DevOps game.

In this episode, we dive into the crucial topic of Accessibility in Tech with special guests Leanne Scheepers, an engineer with a passion for inclusive design, and Niels Peter Foppe, our lead product designer and driving force behind accessibility at bol. Together, we explore how accessibility is approached at bol.com, from strategy and implementation to the practical tips and tricks that can make a real difference. Join us as we discuss the challenges, solutions, and key insights that can help tech teams everywhere make their products accessible for all. Whether you’re a developer, designer, or just interested in inclusivity, this episode has something for everyone!GuestsConnect with Leanne Scheepers: • LinkedInConnect with Niels-Peter Foppen: • LinkedIn NotesEuropean Accessibility Act (2025): https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202WCAG: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/ Level Level webwinkel toegankelijkheids onderzoek 2023: https://level-level.com/nl/webwinkel-onderzoek-2023/#h-resultaten-de-top-15

What this episode coversIn this episode of TechLab, we're diving deep into the world of data engineering! Join us as we chat with Robin, a data scientist from bol.com, who shares how his team tackled complex data pipeline challenges by using layered approaches and innovative solutions like Apache Airflow. Robin makes it easy to understand by comparing data workflows to baking bread (yes, really!) and highlights how his team built a robust, reliable system to handle critical logistics data for bol.com. Tune in for insights, laughs, and some surprising analogies that bring data science to life!GuestsConnect with Robin van Schaik: • LinkedInNotes