Strava starts race to find new CEO

Cycling social media platform Strava has started the process to find a successor to CEO Michael Horvath, one of the company's founders.

Horvath was one of six people who started the platform that has grown to be a behemoth in the cycling software world in 2009.

Writing on Strava’s blog Horvath, who stepped away from the company for five years to care for his children and terminally ill wife before returning in 2019, said he had commenced the search for a successor as CEO.

He said: “I am extremely proud that in my second run as CEO, through the dedication of this team and under my leadership, we have expanded who Strava is built for, invested in people and technologies to help more people find the motivation to be more active, and transformed our business success through the simple principle of making the product better.”

He said the “investments” the company was making would “put Strava and our subscription at the centre of connected fitness for many, many more people over the coming decade and beyond”.

He added: “Yet, as co-founder and CEO, it’s only part of my job to ensure we are picking the right path to that destination. The other part of it is to ensure we always recruit and support the right leaders for the right times. 

“What got us here will not be exactly the same as what will get us there.

“I have decided that Strava needs a CEO with the experience and skills to help us make the most of this next chapter. The search for Strava’s next CEO is underway and I can’t wait to see how Strava becomes the company and service that motivates the world to move."

Horvath did not elaborate on what his role would be once a successor has been found for the CEO role but said he was “as committed to Strava’s future as ever”.

He added: “I want to ensure that Strava doesn’t miss a beat between now and when we find our new leader.”

Whoever takes over inherits the company at a tricky time. In December last year, Strava announced it would lay-off around 15% of its staff.

Then last month it got into hot water with price hikes that saw increases of nearly 30% for some users but made it extremely difficult for users to see what they would be charged. It later apologised for the “confusing” roll-out of the price increase - the first in many years.