Amer Sports to Appoint Michael Absmaier as President
Michael Absmaier will assume leadership of Atomic and Armada starting on January 1, 2027.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in People
Amer Sports has announced the promotion of Michael Absmaier to president of its Atomic and Armada brands effective January 1, 2027. Absmaier will join the company's global leadership team to oversee the transition.
Why it matters
The change reflects a long-term leadership succession plan within the company. This shift allows the business to maintain operational continuity as it prepares for the retirement of its long-standing executive.
Michael Absmaier brings over 20 years of experience at Amer Sports to the position. Meanwhile, departing executive Wolfgang Mayrhofer concludes a career spanning four decades with the business.
The players
Michael Absmaier
He is the incoming president of Atomic and Armada who has been with Amer Sports for more than two decades.
Wolfgang Mayrhofer
He is an outgoing executive who has dedicated forty years of his career to the firm before his planned retirement.
Amer Sports
This is a global sporting goods company that owns several major athletic brands.
The details
Absmaier is currently serving as the chief financial officer and vice president of business development for Atomic, and he previously led Armada as acting chief executive. He will transition from his current responsibilities to his new presidency as part of the company's organizational restructuring.
Timeline
Michael Absmaier will officially begin his new role on 1 January 2027.
Wolfgang Mayrhofer will retire from the business at the end of 2026.
Market Landscape
This transition mirrors established industry standards for internal executive succession planning. It highlights the trend of promoting long-tenured employees to maintain stability within international consumer goods portfolios.
The leadership change serves as an internal realignment for the brands and is not expected to cause immediate disruption to customer access. Consumers can continue to expect standard service levels across the Atomic and Armada product lines.
The takeaway
Effective succession planning relies on utilizing internal talent with decades of institutional knowledge. Companies prioritize such transitions to ensure brands maintain their specific market identity during periods of executive change.
What happens next
Wolfgang Mayrhofer is scheduled to retire at the end of 2026, marking the conclusion of his forty-year tenure. Following this, Michael Absmaier will formally step into the presidency on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more information on executive changes, visit the World People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Retail Bulletin | Daily UK Retail News.
