Olympic athlete Cedric El-Idrissi to become the new CEO of the Aqva Group

The Aqva Group has appointed Cedric El-Idrissi, one of the most experienced executives in the Swiss beverage industry, as its new CEO and co-founder. Starting in August 2026, he will take over the Group’s operational leadership and simultaneously become a shareholder. Co-founder Lionel Hofstetter will transition to the newly created role of Co-Founder & Group Strategy Director and will be responsible for the strategic development of the Aqva Group, its brands, and new business areas.

From Olympian to CEO

Before his career in business, Cedric El-Idrissi was a top athlete in the 400-meter hurdles and represented Switzerland at the Olympic Games and World Championships. After retiring from competitive sports, he moved into the consumer goods industry: Among other roles, he served as Managing Director at PepsiCo and Mondelēz, as well as Commercial Director at Coca-Cola HBC. Most recently, he served as CEO of Kägi Söhne. By joining Aqva, he has made a conscious decision to take on an entrepreneurial role with direct involvement.

«As a former elite athlete, I know how important hydration is for performance. In a short time, Aqva has built a strong foundation with clearly positioned brands and significant growth potential. Peaq, in particular, is showing strong momentum in Switzerland and internationally. I’m excited about the opportunity to apply my experience from sports and the consumer goods industry in an entrepreneurial capacity,» says Cedric El-Idrissi.

The architect behind Adelbodner and Peaq

Lionel Hofstetter has been a driving force behind the Aqva Group since its founding in 2023. The marketing expert, who has held positions in the luxury goods industry—most recently at the watch brand Breitling—was among the group of co-founders who, through Aqva Holding, acquired the Adelboden mineral springs from the local utility «Licht- und Wasserwerk Adelboden.» Since then, he has expanded the group from a regional mineral water company into a national beverage group and was responsible, among other things, for the rebranding of the Adelbodner brand as well as the launch of the performance water Peaq featuring Yann Sommer, Stan Wawrinka, and Roman Josi.

«I am refocusing my efforts on what will make the Aqva Group successful in the future: developing our brands and products and expanding into new business areas,» confirms Lionel Hofstetter.

From the Spring to a National Beverage Group

Aqva Holding was founded by friends from the worlds of sports and business, including Mark Streit, Christian Stucki, and Severin Lüthi. Following the acquisition of Adelbodner Mineralquellen in June 2023 and the rebranding of the Adelbodner brand in May 2024, the third step came with the founding of the subsidiary Peaq Nutrition: to establish Peaq as a Swiss performance water for a new generation. In 2025, the performance water was launched with the «Reach Higher» campaign, in collaboration with Swiss sports legends and co-owners Yann Sommer, Stan Wawrinka, and Roman Josi. In early May 2026, a special edition hit retail stores, serving as the official sports drink of the Swiss national soccer teams. The product line is complemented by Peaq Pro Electrolytes—the performance water for athletic activities with extra electrolytes.

Source: www.aqva-group.com