On Running’s Asia-Pacific region will see a leadership change, with the driver of China’s growth promoted to global head of markets.

On's rapidly growing Asia-Pacific business is about to undergo a management transition.

Recently, Swiss sports brand On announced that the current General Manager of Asia-Pacific, Rebecca Cai, will be promoted to Chief Global Markets Officer on September 1st. She will be responsible for the three major regional markets of Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Americas, and will lead the global commercial team.

On has also newly created the position of Chief Customer Officer. Alice Delahunt, formerly with Ralph Lauren and Burberry, will join the company on September 7th, responsible for digital business, offline retail, and customer loyalty programs.

These two appointments each point toward the next two key focuses for On: strengthening global regional coordination and increasing the importance of DTC and consumer operations.

Rebecca Cai’s promotion is particularly noteworthy for the Chinese market.

On stated that in the six years since she joined the company, the size of Asia-Pacific business has grown sixfold. Before a successor is found, she will continue to lead the Asia-Pacific team and plans to relocate from Shanghai to the Zurich headquarters in 2027.

China is an important growth pivot for the Asia-Pacific business.

In 2025, On’s Asia-Pacific revenue increased by 96.4% year on year to 511 million Swiss francs.

In the first quarter of 2026, Asia-Pacific revenue reached 174 million Swiss francs, a year-on-year increase of 44.4%, accounting for more than 20% of group total revenue. The company noted outstanding performance in the Chinese and Korean markets.

During Rebecca Cai’s tenure, On transformed from a relatively niche professional running shoe brand into the mainstream premium sports consumer market. The brand has built its professional image through running communities, athletes, and events, while also accelerating its entry into core business districts, expanding direct-operated stores in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.

Direct-operated stores not only serve as sales channels, but also showcase products, space, and brand experience, supporting On’s premium pricing.

But after breaking out of its niche and opening stores rapidly, the next stage for On China is not only about brand awareness among consumers, but improving store efficiency, expanding sales of non-footwear products, and turning one-time buyers into long-term customers.

This is the context behind On strengthening DTC and customer operations. In 2025, the company’s DTC channel revenue grew 33.7% year on year to 1.261 billion Swiss francs, with growth exceeding that of the wholesale channel; by year end, the number of global direct-operated stores was close to 70.

Meanwhile, On is expanding from a running shoe brand to an all-category sports brand. In 2025, apparel revenue grew 68.2%, significantly faster than footwear’s 27.5% growth rate.

Compared with running shoes, apparel relies more on visual merchandising, cross-category sales, and frequent product launches, and also tests capabilities in direct retail, membership, and customer operations.

Rebecca Cai’s promotion to a global management position shows that Asia-Pacific’s operating experience is entering On’s global system; the establishment of the Chief Customer Officer means the company is placing direct retail and consumer relationships in a more central position.

For On China, the regional leadership change is only a surface change. The deeper challenge is whether, after rapid expansion, it can shift from a growth market to a mature market that continuously contributes scale, profits, and brand influence.

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