Nicolas has been a mountaineer, adventurer and all-round athlete all his life, with extreme achievements in skiing (heavily involved in the freeskiing movement with brands such as Salomon and Rossignol), raid adventures and running races around Mont Blanc. Nico, as we call him, will inspire you to believe that anything... Read more
Nicolas has been a mountaineer, adventurer and all-round athlete all his life, with extreme achievements in skiing (heavily involved in the freeskiing movement with brands such as Salomon and Rossignol), raid adventures and running races around Mont Blanc.
Nico, as we call him, will inspire you to believe that anything is possible. His positive energy to bring seemingly impossible ideas to life is absolutely infectious. Nico’s latest venture, Hoka (which means “to fly” in Māori), created in 2009, was an unprecedented feat. Hoka first gained attention in the running industry by producing shoes with oversized midsoles, dubbed “maximalist” shoes, in contrast to the minimalist shoe trend that was gaining popularity at the time. Due to its immense success, Hoka was purchased by Deckers Brands, the parent company of UGG, Teva and other footwear brands, for an undisclosed sum on 1 April 2013. The company is now worth tens of billions.
Hoka is constantly in the press, with an article in Men’s Health magazine a few months ago claiming that “when it comes to combining high comfort with lightweight materials, the shoemaker is in a league of its own”.
Nicolas holds several patents and played a key role in the early days of companies such as Rossignol and Salomon. In his speeches, Nicolas shares his “Start from Zero” approach to thinking, questioning assumptions and challenging conventional wisdom. His amazing story and storytelling captivate audiences and inspire them to make big things happen in their organisations – to create magic in spite of the obstacles.
Today, Nicolas spends much of his time building his next start up. More on that soon, but for now it’s a secret! When he has time, Nicolas enjoys speaking at events and sharing his experiences of achieving the impossible. He inspires people with stories of the unexpected mindset required to overcome challenges and achieve success. Nicolas gives audiences a new framework for thinking about the obstacles they face and motivates them to take action.
When he’s not working or speaking, you can find Nicolas enjoying the outdoors and spending time with his family.