Roger Federer Joins Swiss Running Brand On As an Entrepreneur

ZURICH, Nov. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Roger Federer and On are announcing today a unique entrepreneurial relationship that will join one of the world's most influential athletes with one of the fastest-growing brands in the history of athletic footwear. Federer will invest in On and joins the founders of the young sports brand to shape its future. As a true partner, he helps to oversee product development, marketing and fan experiences as well as the athlete spirit of On's high-performing culture. 

Based in Zurich, nine-year-old On has taken the athletic footwear market by storm. Elite athletes are winning Olympic and World Championship medals in the innovation from Switzerland. Driven by peer-recommendation, runners are discovering the superior performance and feel of On running shoes and its unique patented "Cloud" technology. As a result, On is attracting the fastest-growing global fan community and has joined the ranks of the leading brands in the US, Europe and Japan.

"I've been a fan of On and its products for a while, but after talking to the founders I realized we have a lot more in common than just our Swiss roots," says Federer. "I'm excited to be part of the On team and to work on the future of a next-generation global sports brand." Federer revealed that the first new products he is working on will be finished and released in 2020. 

On Co-Founder Olivier Bernhard, a former World Champion, said the relationship developed very naturally: "We noticed Roger wearing On shoes and reached out to him. That's when we found out he is a long-time fan of On and, of course, we are long-time fans of his. Switzerland is a small place and we started having dinner together."

Commenting on the unconventional relationship, Bernhard says: "It became clear that there was a unique opportunity to forge a joint entrepreneurial path that is very different from an athletic sponsorship that a big company would do."

Bernhard added: "Everyone knows Roger's a leader in his sport, but as a friendship developed it became clear he is a natural leader and entrepreneur off the court as well. We value the same things and share a passion for innovation and design. He's going to be a tremendous addition to team On."

Roger and On share a passion for innovation and design.

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Who is On?

On is a young Swiss sports company based in Zurich, Portland (Oregon, USA), Tokyo, Berlin, Shanghai, São Paulo and Melbourne. It has one simple mission: make running fun. A team of sports scientists, world-class athletes and designers spearhead this mantra.

On is the fastest growing running shoe brand on planet Earth and is winning technology and design distinctions all over the world. On's elite athletes win World Championships, bring home Olympic medals and beat world records.

On's radically new running technology CloudTec™ is patented worldwide. Nine years after market launch, On is available at 6,000 specialist running stores and over 50 countries in Europe, North America, South America and Asia-Pacific.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1035893/Roger_Federer_On.jpg