January 2026
Chief Innovation Officer
Succession Plan & Market Mapping
Comprehensive analysis of 79 qualified candidates across the global sports, footwear, and innovation landscape for the CIO succession at the client.
Candidates
79
Evaluated
Tier 1
13
Exceptional Fit
Countries
9
Global Coverage
Female
21.5%
17 Candidates
Benchmark Profile
Click for detailsDavid Anderson
Chief Innovation Officer, the client
Top 3 Recommendations
Path 1
Engineering + Sports
Lowest Risk
World-class engineering credentials combined with sports industry depth. Already understand footwear innovation.
Path 2
Vortex Tech DNA
Engineering Excellence
Direct replication of David Anderson's engineering-first culture from Vortex Tech, Sonos, iRobot.
Path 3
Founder/Entrepreneurial
Category Builders
Built products, brands, or entire categories. Pierre Dumont co-founded Summit Running.
Geographic
Company
Seniority
Industry
Tier 1: Exceptional Candidates
Engineering-led innovators matching the David Anderson benchmark
| Rank | Candidate | Eng | Sports | Innov | Overall | Details |
|---|
Tier 2: Strong Potential
Notable strengths with specific gaps relative to benchmark
Tier 3: Profile Mismatch
Accomplished professionals with specific misalignment to engineering-first CIO vision
Note: 'Profile Mismatch' does not indicate lack of capability — it reflects specific misalignment with the engineering-led innovation leader benchmark established by David Anderson's unique profile.
Design/Creative Track
12Industrial design not engineering; aesthetic focus not systems thinking
Business/Marketing Track
8MBA/business education; commercial focus not technical R&D
Wrong Industry
5CPG, appliances, tools, tech — not sports/footwear
Wrong Function
4IT, legal, operations, strategy — not product R&D
Key Insight
The athletic footwear industry's talent pool is dominated by design-led and business-track 'innovation' leaders. True engineering-led innovators (like David Anderson) typically come from adjacent industries like Vortex Tech, Orion Tech, or automotive where engineering culture is paramount. This scarcity explains why ON's succession planning must look beyond traditional athletic footwear industry candidates.
All Tier 3 Candidates
Profile Type Distribution
Candidate Comparison Tool
Select up to 4 candidates to compare side-by-side
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Skills Radar Comparison
Analytics & Insights
Deep dive into candidate data and patterns
Tier 1 by Pathway
Education Level
Candidate Scoring Heatmap
| Candidate | Engineering | Sports | Innovation | Mfg/Ops | Executive | Int'l/EU | Total |
|---|
5
Candidates with PhD
201+
Combined Patents
25+
Avg Years Experience
3
Current/Former CIOs
Research Methodology
Structured three-phase approach ensuring comprehensive market coverage and candidate quality
Phase 1: Target Company Identification
We developed a tiered target company framework spanning 100+ organizations based on alignment with the incumbent profile characteristics.
| Tier | Category | Example Companies |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1A | Cycling & Sports Equipment | Elite Cycles, Trek, SRAM, Shimano, Giant |
| Tier 1B | Engineering-Led Consumer Innovators | Vortex Tech, Orion Tech, Bose, Tesla, Sonos |
| Tier 1B+ | Category-Defining Product Companies | Nest, Ring, GoPro, Peloton, Oura |
| Tier 2 | Premium Home/Medical/Tools | Miele, Stanley Black & Decker, Medtronic |
| Tier 3 | Athletic Footwear & Apparel | Apex Athletics, Global Sports Co, Summit Running, Salomon, Amer Sports |
| Tier 4 | Design Consultancies | Ammunition, Fuseproject, IDEO, Frog |
Strategic Insight
Given the validated Elite Cycles → ON pathway, premium cycling and sports equipment companies are elevated as primary hunting grounds. Engineering-led consumer product companies (Vortex Tech, Orion Tech, Bose) are core targets, while European premium brands with global operations receive additional consideration for cultural fit.