AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND—August 23, 2022—Les Mills has doubled down on a new customer-led Omnifitness strategy by appointing two accomplished executives to drive its execution and bolster the senior leadership team.
Amber Taylor, chief digital product officer, and Luke Waldren, chief customer officer, take up the two newly-created global roles focused on putting the customer at the heart of all transformation and BAU (business as usual) initiatives.
Les Mills CEO Clive Ormerod says the appointments will accelerate the company's mission to create a fitter planet by providing more value and better support to the people it serves.
"Whether it's our Instructors, club partners, or consumers engaging via LES MILLS+, Customers have always been integral to the Les Mills mission, so bringing in world-class leaders like Amber and Luke is a case of us being really intentional in our commitment to them.
"We're dedicated to growing the industry by getting more people moving. To achieve this, we need to take an Omnifitness approach that offers world-class workouts however people want to consume them. Making sure our Customers are at the heart of every conversation and innovation will be paramount."
As chief customer officer, Luke Waldren will spearhead efforts to drive closer collaboration with partners, as well as leading global marketing, including acquisition and engagement. He joined Les Mills on August 1, arriving with 30 years of experience developing brand, marketing and business strategies, both at international advertising agencies—including Ogilvy and Grey Worldwide—and more recently in the wagering industry.
"Having spent the last nine years helping Sportsbet create the strongest brand and content in the category, and supporting Tabcorp in transforming its entire customer experience program and drive deep personalization, I'm excited to bring these learnings into fitness to help Les Mills become closer to customers and get more people moving," said Luke.
"It's an inspiring mission, and as someone who combines a passion for fitness with a drive to help people and teams succeed, this represents a dream role for me."
Amber Taylor joined Les Mills in late June and brings more than 20 years of experience in technology and digital product, most recently from Nike and previously from Amazon. As chief digital product officer, Amber will lead all digital products serving clubs, instructors and consumers, spanning immersive in-club experiences, and digital engagement.
"I love building and working with high-functioning teams who innovate on behalf of the customer. Les Mills has been doing this for over 50 years, so it's been fantastic to join an amazing team and start working on how we deliver even more value for our customers in future.
"My personal purpose is to help people be their ideal versions of themselves and I believe healthy bodies and minds help individuals be kinder and more helpful in society, so I've felt very inspired since joining such a passionate company."
About Les Mills
Les Mills is the global leader in group fitness and creator of over 20 programs including BODYPUMP and BODYCOMBAT. Les Mills workouts are delivered by 140,000 certified Instructors in 21,000 gyms across 100 countries, as well as via the LES MILLS+. The company was founded by Les Mills – a four-time Olympian and head coach of New Zealand's track and field team – who opened his first gym in 1968 to bring elite sports training to the masses.
For more information, contact press@lesmills.com.