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Leaders Unplugged
Brand strategy
“We were so scared of our IPO”: Leaders Unplugged with former On Co-CEO Marc Maurer
July 8, 2025 • by Alyson Meister, Marc Maurer in Leaders Unplugged • 
Podcast available
Marc Maurer shares how ON grew from startup to IPO by defying hype, focusing on purpose, and leading with humility in this candid Leaders Unplugged episode....
Apple SpotifyHow On built a purpose-led brand, said no to the Metaverse, and redefined growth with humility – former Co-CEO Marc Maurer shares his lessons from the top.
Marc Maurer didn’t build On by playing it safe. In this live conversation with IMD’s Alyson Meister, the outgoing Co-CEO explains why betting on purpose, rejecting hype, and ignoring the industry playbook paid off:
- Culture over hype.
“We’re actually the anti-metaverse.” ON doubled down on real-life movement instead of pixels, and built a brand with soul. - Purpose-driven growth.
“Why do we need to grow 28%? Why not 20%? Who tells you it should be 28?” Maurer insists that growth must serve the purpose, not the markets. - Hire outsiders, build insiders.
“For the first 10 years or so, it was forbidden to hire from a competitor.” ON’s originality? No legacy thinking, just bold innovation.
With insights on sustainability, Gen Z expectations, and life after ON, this episode – recorded live at IMD’s flagship event Orchestrating Winning Performance (OWP) – is a masterclass in leadership.
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