Nick joined The Gym Group as Operations Director in August 2016. Nick’s previous role was as Operations Director for David Lloyd Leisure, before that he had the benefit of extensive senior retail experience with Mothercare and Autoglass.
Nick’s appointment illustrates the increasing value our clients place on attracting candidates from outside their sector, who can offer more diverse experience and add a different skillset to their Board. Why did you decide to join The Gym Group? The right cultural fit, allied to the capability of the existing management team were critical. I was also attracted by the impressive growth of The Gym Group and their position as a genuinely disruptive, challenger brand. The opportunities to develop and grow the brand were clear. What are the synergies between your experience in retail and the health and fitness sector? Both are all about people, customers and leading great teams so I think there are huge crossovers between the two. What was your key focus when you joined? Developing leadership capability at both Regional Manager and General Manager level was a crucial area of focus. We also sought to simplify what we measure and gain the buy in of teams at all levels of the business. We have also concentrated on improving the member experience, not just for the benefit of our existing members but also as the fundamental way in which we drive new membership sales. We are pleased that our Net Promoter Score has increased by 2%, from 61% to 63% and average membership tenure from 8.9 months to 9.2 months. The low-cost sector is an increasingly competitive market, where do you think The Gym Group stands out from the competition? Our price point is consistently lower than our competitors. In addition, we will not compromise on the quality of site location, all our sites are profitable and deliver a minimum of 30% return. We have resisted the temptation to grow at the sacrifice of returns and this approach is key to our success. Please could you describe the culture of the Gym Group? The Gym Group is not a top down autocratic organisation, but a highly inclusive and supportive environment. From our Founder and CEO John Treharne downwards, our focus is on our members and our people. It is a positive, fast paced environment but also a lot of fun. We welcome candidates from outside the health and fitness sector as well as those within it and are trying to create as diverse a team as possible.
If you are interested in learning more about how BarrettClark Executive Search supports businesses with senior level appointments in the Leisure sector, please get in touch for more information.
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