INSIDERS with Christoph Engl
CEO at Oberalp Group
Mountains aren’t just a market for Oberalp. They’re an obsession. A lifestyle. A philosophy that drives every decision from product development to retail strategy.
Christoph Engl, CEO of Oberalp Group, leads a portfolio of six mountain-focused brands (Salewa, Dynafit, LaMunt, Evolv, Wild Country, and Pomoca) with one clear mission: be the most relevant brand house in the world for mountains. Not outdoor. Mountains.
With over 1,000 employees, 100+ owned retail stores, and brands that span from heritage hiking to elite ski mountaineering, Oberalp remains family-owned and proudly management-driven. They think in generations, not quarters. They build for fans, not just customers. And they’re opening franchise “Mountain Shops” across Europe at a pace that would make most brands nervous about channel conflict, except they’ve proven it works.
In this conversation, Christoph talks about why he sees himself as a “Chief Enabling Officer,” how Oberalp is adapting to generations that may not want to own products anymore, and why mountains taught him more about leadership than any university ever could.
Straight talk from someone who lives what he sells.
Hi Christoph, great to speak with you today! How would you describe your position as CEO in a company that employs over 1,000 people but remains family-owned?
It’s only apparently a conflict. I’m part of the board, so the family and the CEO work closely together. I consider myself less as a Chief Executive Officer and more as a “Chief Enabling Officer.”
My role is to enable people in the company to do the right things, in the right place, with the right products. I have to make sure this company develops itself very close to the values the family has implemented.
We’re a family-owned company, but we’re management-driven. Since the family founded the company 42 years ago, they’ve always brought on managers with different skills and experiences. This mixture is what made the company successful internationally.
“I consider myself less as a Chief Executive Officer and more as a 'Chief Enabling Officer'.”
What are the key challenges for Oberalp Group today and for tomorrow?
First, we must stay very close to the changes in the retail and distribution landscape, as well as the changes in the final customer.
We’re shifting our business to next generations who have a totally different picture of the world, consumption, and values. We have to bring solutions before our clients even have them in mind. For example, the next generation may not want to own goods anymore, but rather have access to them. So we’re introducing new services: renting products, second life, and long-lasting products. This is a totally different landscape compared to 42 years ago.
On the distribution side, we consider it important to be very close to our customers. We started our own retail shops 10 years ago and now have more than 100 in Europe. Our goal is that 50% of our margins should be in our hands, through our own retail and online business, while still maintaining our important relationships with retailers.
To what extent is it difficult for your distribution partners to understand that you're opening your own retail network? Do they see you as a competitor?
No, we’re not competitors. We’ve proven that opening a monobrand store increases brand awareness in that geographical area, which helps everyone sell more.
Regarding our “Mountain Shops,” we’re concentrating purely on the theme of “Mountain,” which nobody else is doing with such focus. We’ve opened 65 Mountain Shops in Europe in just two years. These are franchise concepts where we bring the system, replenishment, warehouse management, and the partner runs the shop.
Do you think you need to create new brands for the next generation, or can you refresh existing ones?
Our ambition is to be perceived as the most relevant brand house in the world related to mountains. We already cover many segments:
- Salewa: our heritage brand, aesthetic inspired from the Dolomites
- Dynafit: mountain performance brand for athletes, recently expanded into the trail running segment.
- LaMunt: the women community brand for self-confident women in the mountains.
- Evolv: the climbing shoe brand for the new generation of climbers.
- Wild Country: the rock climbing brand for safety enthusiasts
- Pomoca: the leading brand for skitouring skins.
We serve everything from hiking to high-end climbing. We don’t see much space for new brands unless it was something very specialized.
We’ve decided strategically to focus only on this field of “mountains” and not to dilute our concept into the broader “outdoor” market.
The frontier between performance and lifestyle is getting thinner. How does that affect product development?
Mountains are becoming a lifestyle idea. People living in cities, far away from mountains, want to express their love for that simple, hard, resource-limited life. Therefore, we provide products that make you feel closer to the mountain idea.
A technical jacket conceived for mountains is now used for different activities, even in towns.
What makes the culture at Oberalp unique compared to other corporations?
The big passion for mountains. We have 1,000 people applying every month, not just because of the brands, but because they want to stay in this mountain-athletic environment.
Being a family-owned company makes us more reliable; we think in generations, not quarters. Everyone at Oberalp considers themselves part of this “mountain addicted family.”
We’re our own product testers: from product development to finance, everyone practices the sport.
How do you compete with companies backed by huge investors or funds who have very clear financial targets?
We do what is in our passion and competence. Numbers are a result for us, not the final goal. The final goal is to make sure people enjoy spending time in the mountains.
Brands work not for customers, but for fans. Fans are addicted to the idea, not just the product. They buy why we’re doing it, not just what we’re doing. Because we burn for this idea, that energy transfers to the products and the sales process.
“Brands work not for customers, but for fans.”
What's your own personal relationship with mountains?
I was born in Bolzano, surrounded by mountains. I’ve done all mountain activities since I was a child, except flying, which my wife forbade!
For me, mountains are a school of life. I learned risk management, team management, how to be alone, and how to take responsibility for another life. I learned this in the mountains, not at university.
Finally, do you have a message for the industry?
This industry needs to spread more enthusiasm to the final customer. We should stop talking only about our problems.
We’re taking part in the most exciting business in the world. We can encourage people for outdoor activities, which is the most meaningful thing you can deliver.
So: more enthusiasm.
