05 Oct 2022
Neil Randall is new CEO at Urban Gym Group as Kool ups stake in TRIB3
BY Frances Marcellin
Former CEO of Anytime Fitness Neil Randall has been appointed the new CEO of TrainMore and Clubsportive at Urban Gym Group (UGG). His role will start in November 2022 and Jordy Kool, who has been interim co-CEO with Marjolijn Meijer since January 2021, will stay on as chairman of the board as Meijer transitions to vice-chairman.
Before Anytime Fitness, Randall was COO at Go Mammoth and held management positions at LA Fitness and Virgin Active.
“This opportunity at Urban Gym Group comes at the right time,” said Randall. “The first weeks I will spend fully grasping the characteristics of TrainMore and ClubSportive, meeting the crew, UGG’s partners, and spending time getting to know the members of our clubs. I look forward to continuing to build the company on the great foundations laid by Jordy and Marjolijn.”
In line with her vision for UGG’s fast expansion, Meijer will be focusing on the growth of UGG’s boutique brands, as well as recently-founded Renessence. This wellbeing centre fuses science and spirituality through programmes, therapies and classes in Amsterdam’s fast-developing business district Zuidas. She will also be looking to extend the group’s portfolio searching for new locations and acquisitions.
“I am excited that Neil is joining our team, he will continue the growth of our clubs,” said Meijer. “He is passionate about exceeding members’ expectations and has a lot of experience in developing, inspiring and coaching teams.”
This development springs off the back of UGG’s recent announcement that TRIB3 has taken over both of the Round11 boutique studios in Amsterdam. The two studios will be converted over the next few weeks and launch under the rebrand in November.
This double-acquisition occurred at the same time that Kool, who is also non-executive director of TRIB3, increased his stake in the boutique brand through his investment company Iron Asset Management. This supports his strategy of investing in the expansion of TRIB3 across the Benelux territories. TRIB3 is aiming to be in more than 100 locations across ten international territories and the company says there are advanced deals for new countries in the pipeline.
In an exclusive interview with HCM last year, Meijer explained how she and Kool wanted UGG to “grow fast”. “With TRIB3, for example, we aim to open 15-20 sites over the next three to five years,” she said. “With TrainMore we hope to get to 40. We’re closing contracts for a number of new sites at the moment.”
Back in May 2022, UGG raised €16m in capital to fund Meijer and Kool’s growth plans for the company. At the time they said the funds would be used to drive company growth through acquisitions and expand the management team.
Last month UGG reported that TrainMore memberships had increased by 50 per cent in Q1 of 2022 compared with Q1 in 2021. It also opened the thirteenth TrainMore club, Van Wou, in De Pijp, Amsterdam. Renovations are also ongoing on TrainMore West, The Hague and Haarlem clubs.
The Urban Gym Group (UGG) currently has 35 clubs in major cities across the Netherlands. The company is owned by Meijer and Kool who also own Gym Warehouse and My Local Gym Group.
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