You are the engineering leader at a consumer brand platform that operates dozens of digital storefronts, content experiences, and partner integrations across a portfolio of licensed brands. The company has grown from 45 to 140 engineers in two years through acquisitions and new digital initiatives, but delivery speed has slowed: average cycle time has risen from 9 to 21 days, Sev-1 incidents are up 35% year over year, and nearly 40% of roadmap work now depends on two shared platform teams. Revenue from digital channels is expected to grow from $180M to $320M in the next 24 months, driven by international expansion, marketplace integrations, and new direct-to-consumer launches. Leadership is debating whether to keep a centralized functional model, move to brand-aligned product squads, or adopt a hybrid model with shared platforms plus domain-oriented teams.
How would you think about the right engineering org design as the company scales, and what structure would you recommend given these growth goals and operating constraints?