Martin Hoffmann
Chief executive of On (until May 2026)
Martin Hoffmann is the Swiss sportswear company On's long serving finance chief and chief executive. He joined the Zurich based running brand around 2013, became co chief executive in 2021 and sole chief executive in July 2025, and stepped down on 1 May 2026, handing leadership back to the co founders.
| Role | Former chief executive, On |
|---|---|
| Co chief executive | 2021 to June 2025 |
| Sole chief executive | 1 July 2025 to 1 May 2026 |
| Also | Chief financial officer of On |
| Company | On, Zurich |
Who is Martin Hoffmann?
Martin Hoffmann is a business executive best known for his role at On, the Zurich based performance running shoe and sportswear brand. Over roughly thirteen years he served as chief financial officer and chief executive, and is credited with establishing the financial framework and strategic discipline that helped turn On from a start up into a major global sportswear company.
Career
On was founded in 2010 by three Swiss co founders and expanded first in central Europe and later in the United States. Hoffmann joined the company around 2013 and served as chief financial officer. From 2021 he was co chief executive alongside Marc Maurer, while keeping his finance responsibilities, and he guided the company through its initial public offering.
In April 2025 On announced that Maurer would leave and that Hoffmann would become sole chief executive from 1 July 2025, as part of a leadership partnership with the co founders. Less than a year later the company announced that Hoffmann would step down as chief executive with effect from 1 May 2026 to take a planned break and pursue philanthropic interests. Co founders David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti became co chief executives while remaining executive co chairmen, and chief innovation and operations officer Scott Maguire was promoted to president and chief operating officer.
Influence on the fashion business
On's rise is one of the most notable sportswear stories of the past decade, and Hoffmann played a central role in its commercial and financial development. Key features of his period in charge include:
- Rapid revenue growth, to more than 3 billion Swiss francs (about 3.8 billion dollars) in 2025
- Expansion from running into wider sportswear and lifestyle categories
- A premium positioning backed by product innovation
- A partnership style leadership model shared with the founders
On's growth has challenged established sportswear leaders and shown that a Swiss brand can compete globally in a market long dominated by large American and German companies.
Why it matters
Hoffmann is a rare example of a finance executive who became the public face of a fast growing consumer brand. His tenure illustrates how financial discipline, careful expansion and a strong product story can carry a young company from start up to stock market listing and multibillion revenue, and his departure marked a return to founder leadership at On.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Martin Hoffmann?
Martin Hoffmann is the former chief executive of On, the Zurich based running and sportswear brand. He joined around 2013, served as chief financial officer, became co chief executive in 2021 and sole chief executive in July 2025.
Who replaced Martin Hoffmann as CEO of On?
When Hoffmann stepped down on 1 May 2026, co founders David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti became co chief executives while remaining executive co chairmen. Scott Maguire was promoted to president and chief operating officer.