Jean-Luc Diard

Jean-Luc Diard grew up in the French Alps, near Chamonix and Tignes-Val d'Isère, where the mountains shaped both his childhood and his later career. He spent decades at Salomon, rising to CEO and helping develop the first shaped ski — a product obsession that would define his approach to footwear innovation.

In 2007, Diard and Nicolas Mermoud left Salomon to co-found HOKA One One, building shoes with oversized midsoles that ran directly counter to the minimalist trend sweeping the running industry. The maximalist design was polarizing at first, but it found its audience. By 2013, Deckers Outdoor Corporation acquired HOKA, and Diard transitioned into a VP-level innovation role, eventually leading Deckers X Lab — the R&D incubator that develops new technologies across Hoka, UGG, Teva, and Sanuk.

Under Diard's influence, HOKA grew from a niche running brand into a $2.5 billion business. He still tests new shoes nearly every day, a habit formed during his years at Salomon where product and performance were inseparable. In early 2026, he visited Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, to share the HOKA story with students and alumni.