The rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific operations of Swiss sportswear brand On Holding AG are preparing for a change in leadership.
The company recently announced that its current Asia-Pacific General Manager, Rebecca Cai, will be promoted to Chief Global Markets Officer effective September 1st. In this new role, she will oversee the three major regional markets of Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and the Americas, while also leading the global commercial team.
Concurrently, On Holding AG has established a new position of Chief Customer Officer. Alice Delahunt, formerly of Ralph Lauren and Burberry, will join the company on September 7th to be responsible for digital business, physical retail, and the customer loyalty program.
These two appointments point towards the brand's dual focal points for its next phase: enhancing global regional coordination and increasing the strategic importance of direct-to-consumer (DTC) operations and consumer engagement.
The promotion of Rebecca Cai is of particular significance for the Chinese market.
On Holding AG stated that during her six-year tenure, the Asia-Pacific business has grown to six times its original size. She will continue to lead the Asia-Pacific team until her successor is found and plans to relocate from Shanghai to the Zurich headquarters by 2027.
China serves as a crucial growth pillar for the Asia-Pacific segment.
In 2025, On Holding AG's Asia-Pacific revenue surged 96.4% year-over-year to 511 million Swiss francs. For the first quarter of 2026, revenue in the region reached 174 million Swiss francs, a 44.4% increase, accounting for over 20% of the group's total revenue. The company's financial reports highlighted outstanding performance in the Chinese and South Korean markets.
Under Rebecca Cai's leadership, the brand transitioned from a relatively niche professional running shoe label to gradually entering the mainstream premium sportswear market. The brand not only built its professional image through running communities, athletes, and events but also accelerated its presence in core commercial districts, expanding its directly operated stores in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.
These directly operated stores serve not only sales functions but also as spaces to fully showcase products, ambiance, and the brand experience, supporting On Holding AG's premium pricing strategy.
However, following brand expansion and rapid store openings, the next challenge for On Holding AG in China is no longer just increasing brand awareness but improving store efficiency, expanding sales of non-footwear products, and converting one-time buyers into long-term customers.
This context explains the company's intensified focus on DTC and customer operations. In 2025, revenue from the company's DTC channel grew 33.7% year-over-year to 1.261 billion Swiss francs, outpacing the growth of the wholesale channel. By year-end, the global count of directly operated stores was approaching 70.
Simultaneously, On Holding AG is expanding from a running shoe specialist into a full-category sportswear brand. In 2025, the company's apparel revenue grew by 68.2%, significantly faster than the 27.5% growth in footwear.
Compared to running shoes, apparel relies more on styling displays, cross-category sales, and consistent new product introductions, placing greater demands on direct retail, membership, and customer operation capabilities.
Rebecca Cai's promotion to a global management role indicates that operational experience from the Asia-Pacific market is being integrated into On Holding AG's global framework. The creation of the Chief Customer Officer position signifies the company is placing direct retail and consumer relationships in a more central strategic position.
For On Holding AG's China business, the regional leadership change is just the surface-level shift. The deeper test lies in whether, after a period of rapid expansion, it can transition from a high-growth market into a mature market that consistently contributes scale, profitability, and brand influence.
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