On Holding AG, the Zurich-based running and athletic brand valued at $5.5 billion, has promoted Rebecca Cai to Chief Global Markets Officer and appointed a new Chief Customer Officer. This dual C-suite move addresses what leadership sees as a critical operational gap: the absence of unified customer intelligence and regional market alignment at the executive level. For a brand operating across 70 countries with direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels, this restructure confirms what observers have noted for eighteen months—that growth outpaced the infrastructure required to keep customer data, regional identity standards, and sales operations moving in concert.
What the appointments signal about brand maturity
Cai's elevation from Chief Marketing Officer signals On's shift from single-region dominance (Europe and North America) toward distributed global authority. The new Chief Customer Officer role—a function absent from On's prior structure—indicates the brand recognizes that product excellence and athlete endorsement no longer suffice. Customer experience now requires institutional oversight. For heritage brands and sports properties, this pattern repeats: rapid growth manufactures organizational debt that only C-level restructure can address. On is now in the window where brand identity infrastructure must match the complexity of its operations, or regional inconsistencies begin to displace premium positioning.
Where the identity layer breaks under growth
Dual-channel distribution (direct, wholesale, partner channels) typically produces three failure points: inconsistent brand presentation in owned spaces, misaligned customer recognition programs across regions, and fragmented touchpoint standards. Without a Chief Customer Officer, these gaps stay tactical—handled by regional teams with no authority to imprint standards across markets. On's appointment signals they've mapped where customer experience falls short of brand promise. The branded identity infrastructure required now includes: standardized asset systems for retail and event environments; coordinated customer recognition programs (loyalty, VIP, athlete-adjacent); and team integration collateral that keeps internal stakeholders aligned on customer-facing standards. This is the window where Single Family Office principals and event organizers at the premium tier should note their own operational patterns. If customer experience strategy exists in fragments, it costs more to unify later.
What operators do in this window
For CMOs, VP Premium Sales, and event planners, this restructure manufactures a 90-day opportunity. On's new leadership will immediately commission audits of their customer recognition infrastructure, branded touchpoint standards, and team integration materials. This produces RFP activity in three categories: branded identity systems (retail, event, digital), customer segmentation and recognition programs, and internal stakeholder collateral. Heritage-house operators who understand this cycle know to position capability in customer data architecture and cross-channel consistency—not in campaign decoration. On will require partners who can map where their regional teams operate with different standards and imprint unified systems that keep both brand promise and operational efficiency intact. The same logic applies to any organization that has grown faster than its identity layer can support.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
"Swiss running brand On appoints Chief Customer Officer. What customer experience gaps did they identify that required executive-level restructure."
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On Holding promotes Rebecca Cai to CGMO and names new Chief Customer Officer—a structural move that signals maturity. When growth outpaces infrastructure, C-level restructure follows. What does this pattern indicate about your own operational readiness.
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