Olivier Bernhard
Co-founder of On and former duathlon world champion
Olivier Bernhard is a Swiss former elite endurance athlete who co-founded the running brand On in Zurich in 2010. His experiments with a garden hose glued to a running shoe led to On's CloudTec cushioning, and he remains on the company's executive board with a focus on product.
| Role | Co-founder and executive board member, On |
|---|---|
| Co-founded | On, Zurich, January 2010 |
| Sport | Eight-time duathlon world champion |
| Born | 1968 |
| Nationality | Swiss |
Who is Olivier Bernhard?
Olivier Bernhard, born in 1968, is a Swiss former professional duathlete and triathlete and a co-founder of On. He won the Duathlon World Championships eight times between 1994 and 2004, took five Ironman Switzerland titles and won the Powerman Duathlon in Zofingen eight times. After retiring in 2005 he coached elite athletes before turning his experience into a product company.
Building On
On was founded in January 2010 in Zurich by Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti. The company's signature CloudTec cushioning grew out of Bernhard's experiments with pieces of garden hose attached to a running shoe; the cloud-shaped elements compress on landing and then lock together for push-off. From running shoes, On expanded into apparel, outdoor, training and tennis.
Key milestones include:
- November 2019: Roger Federer became a shareholder, followed in 2020 by The Roger lifestyle shoe
- September 2021: listing on the New York Stock Exchange, raising around 746 million dollars
- 2024: net sales of 2.32 billion Swiss francs and net income of 242 million Swiss francs
- Presence in more than 80 countries
Leadership
As the athlete among the founders, Bernhard has concentrated on product development. Alongside the executive co-chairmen David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti he helped manage On's product organisation, and he remains a member of the executive board. Since 1 May 2026 Allemann and Coppetti have led the company as co-chief executives after Martin Hoffmann stepped down. Since September 2023 Bernhard has also sat on the board of the Swiss fitness equipment company Sensopro.
Influence on the fashion business
On is one of the most successful new sportswear brands of the past two decades, competing in running with long established groups. Its growth shows how a technology-led product story, premium pricing and a balanced mix of wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales can build a global brand from a small home market. The company is also part of a wider Swiss success story in performance products.
Why it matters
With the founders once again running the company day to day, Bernhard's decisions shape one of the most closely watched listed brands in sportswear. For fashion and footwear executives, On is a reference case for innovation-driven brand building and founder-led governance after an IPO.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Olivier Bernhard?
Olivier Bernhard is a Swiss former duathlon world champion who co-founded the sportswear brand On in 2010. His idea for a cushioned sole using sections of garden hose became On's CloudTec technology.
How did Olivier Bernhard invent the On shoe?
Bernhard experimented with pieces of garden hose attached to a running shoe to create cushioning that compresses on landing and firms up for push-off. The concept became CloudTec, the basis of On's running shoes since the brand's founding in 2010.