Canyon names Kristen Laina White as new chief digital officer
Canyon Bicycles, one of the world’s leading bicycle manufacturers, has announced the appointment of Kristen Laina White as the company’s new Chief Digital Officer (CDO).
Kristen will be part of Canyon’s Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for Canyon’s digital eco-system, including its shopping environments at Canyon.com and its Canyon App.
Kristen brings over 25 years of experience in customer-centric digital technologies and sports industries, most recently at Nike and Estee Lauder Companies.
She was a vital part of Nike’s digital transformation, which emphasized customer engagement, personalisation and membership programmes. Her roles spanned Nike’s global entities across multiple functions. Kristen served as the VP/GM for Nike’s EMEA direct-to-consumer digital business which saw significant growth during her tenure fueled by the launch of the SNKRS App and Nike App.
At the start of her Nike career, she led innovation in devices, content, loyalty programs and app features. One key highlight was the global launch of the Nike+ FuelBand as part of the Nike Digital Sport team.
Most recently Kristen held a contract with the Estee Lauder Companies where she supported the EMEIA Digital Commerce, Marketing and Data teams on several key transformational projects.
Kristen is a natural fit at Canyon, a company that has been a pioneer in digital and direct-to-consumer business operations since the company’s inception in 2002. By appointing Kristen, Canyon will continue its trajectory as a digital visionary.
“With our bikes, we can inspire our global fan base to embark on incredible adventures. The same inspiration should happen online. When we meet our fans and customers in the digital world, searching for the best bike or service, we want to delight them with world-class e-commerce, seamless connected features and vibrant community experiences. Kristen’s broad professional background and creative genius make her the perfect fit for our innovative and customer-focused culture,” said Canyon CEO Nicholas de Ros Wallace.
Speaking about her appointment Kristen said: “Canyon already has a reputation for delivering unparalleled online and offline services and experiences to the cycling community. Together we will now bring Canyon’s pioneering digital innovations and digital customer experiences to the next level.”
Canyon’s digital ecosystem was bolstered in 2023 with the launch of the Canyon App as a pocket partner that empowers all customers to get the most out of their Canyon bike. The Canyon App has received over 175,000 downloads in the last 12 months and is an increasingly relevant shopping channel for Canyon customers as well as a platform for service and connection with digital devices.
Led by Kristen, Canyon will continue to develop more relevant and personalized experiences for consumers in the app while also making it easier to find, compare and buy products across all Canyon’s digital platforms.
