ROGER FEDERER JOINS ON AS PARTNER

Swiss pro tennis player Roger Federer has teamed up with athletic company On as it continues to be one of the fastest-growing athletic footwear brands to-date. Federer will invest in On and joins the founders as a true partner. He will help to oversee product development, marketing, and fan experiences as well as the athlete spirit of On’s high-performing culture.

Based in Zurich, the nine-year-old brand has taken the athletic footwear market by storm. Driven by peer-recommendation, runners are discovering the 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 U.S., 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,” said 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. 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.”