中文On Running’s Bold Leadership Restructure: Splitting Commerce to Win the Consumer War
Swiss sportswear company On is making a decisive structural change. It is splitting its global commercial leadership into two distinct roles — Chief Global Markets Officer and Chief Customer Officer — a move that reflects not just organisational realignment, but a strategic conviction about how modern sportswear brands need to operate.
The Two New Roles
Rebecca Cai, currently General Manager of APAC, has been promoted to Chief Global Markets Officer, effective September 1, 2026. She will oversee operations across APAC, EMEA and the Americas, as well as global commercial teams. Cai joined On six years ago and has led a six-fold increase in the APAC business during her tenure — a growth record that validates both her capability and the regional opportunity.
Alice Delahunt will join On on September 7 as Chief Customer Officer, leading direct-to-consumer business including digital and retail channels and the customer loyalty programme. Delahunt’s resume is strategically relevant: senior leadership roles at Ralph Lauren and Burberry, board membership at Zalando and founding of the digital fashion platform SYKY. She brings deep expertise in digital consumer engagement — precisely the capability On is investing in.
Why This Split Matters
On’s President and COO Scott Maguire framed the appointments as “a direct reflection of our dedication to keep placing our consumer at the center of everything we do.” The language is standard corporate positioning, but the structural decision is genuinely significant.
By separating market coverage (Cai’s role) from consumer engagement (Delahunt’s role), On is acknowledging that these are distinct disciplines requiring distinct leadership. Market coverage — managing regional sales teams, distributor relationships and wholesale partnerships — is a commercial execution function. Consumer engagement — building direct relationships through digital platforms, retail experiences and loyalty systems — is a brand-building function that requires different skills, different metrics and different time horizons.
Most sportswear brands blend these responsibilities under a single commercial leader. On is choosing to specialise. The logic is consistent with the industry’s broader evolution: as direct-to-consumer channels grow in importance, the operational demands of managing them diverge increasingly from traditional market management. Brands that treat DTC as an add-on to wholesale operations risk underinvesting in the consumer relationships that drive long-term growth. On is making the investment explicit.
The Leather and Materials Context
On’s growth trajectory — and its investment in consumer-facing infrastructure — has material supply chain implications. As a brand that has prioritised performance innovation in its footwear, On sources increasingly sophisticated material combinations, including engineered leather components for premium models.
The leadership restructuring signals continued growth ambition. Cai’s mandate to oversee three major regions implies expanded market coverage and, consequently, expanded production volume. Delahunt’s DTC focus implies more controlled product presentation and potentially more premium material specifications as On builds direct consumer relationships that justify higher price points.
For leather and material suppliers, On’s trajectory represents an emerging opportunity. The brand is scaling, investing in consumer infrastructure and expanding geographically — all indicators of increasing material demand. Suppliers who can deliver performance-oriented leather solutions — lightweight, durable, aesthetically refined — will find a receptive customer in a brand that is clearly positioning for growth rather than cost reduction.
The Competitive Landscape
On’s restructuring also reflects competitive dynamics. The sportswear market is increasingly bifurcated between brands pursuing scale through wholesale distribution and brands building depth through direct consumer relationships. Nike, Adidas and Puma all operate hybrid models, but the tension between wholesale efficiency and DTC investment is a persistent strategic challenge.
On’s decision to separate these functions at the executive level is a structural commitment to the DTC growth path. It does not abandon wholesale — Cai’s role explicitly includes global commercial teams — but it creates dedicated leadership capacity for the consumer engagement dimension that wholesale-oriented structures often neglect.
What This Signals
On is not just adding two executives. It is declaring that the consumer relationship deserves the same leadership stature as market coverage. In an industry where most brands still treat DTC as a functional subset of commercial operations, that declaration is a strategic marker. Whether it delivers results will depend on execution, but the structural commitment is unmistakable: On believes the consumer war is worth fighting with dedicated generals.
Source: World Footwear
