Planet Fitness CEO recently revealed what she says is the fitness giant’s biggest competitor
Planet Fitness has announced several leadership changes ahead of its full fiscal year 2024 results and 2025 outlook on February 25.
Bill Bode, division president of the U.S. franchise, will transition into a newly created chief operating officer role and oversee franchise and corporate club operations. Bode has served on the Planet Fitness team for the last eight years and will report to CEO Colleen Keating.
Jennifer Simmons, division president of corporate clubs, will move into a newly created chief strategy role, where she will support the execution of Planet’s strategic plans and identify emerging trends. Simmons has been with Planet Fitness for 11 years and will continue reporting to Keating.
The changes take effect March 3 and follow the recent onboarding of Chip Ohlsson as chief development officer and Brian Povinelli as chief marketing officer.
“As we position Planet Fitness for growth in 2025 and beyond, we remain focused on executing our strategic imperatives—redefining our brand, enhancing member experience, refining our product and optimizing our format, and accelerating club openings,” Keating said.
“To enhance our ability to do so, we have built out our management team and are refining its structure to capitalize on efficiencies and leverage leader expertise. Our goal is to better promote our key growth drivers – members and clubs – support our culture of accountability and work more efficiently and effectively. As a team and organization, we are focused on delivering on our mission and ultimately delivering significant value for our franchisees, members and shareholders,” Keating continued.
Under Keating, who took the helm last June, Planet Fitness is redirecting its messaging to emphasize its membership’s value and strength-focused equipment offerings, such as its new plate-loaded strength equipment. Other initiatives are also in development, including tech enhancements, Keating had hinted.
Notably, the Planet Fitness app is the most downloaded fitness app on the App Store, CEO Colleen Keating said during a recent fireside chat at the ICR Conference 2025—providing the franchise with a direct channel to engage members with workouts, even beyond the walls of its gyms.
In the same discussion, Keating noted that Planet Fitness’ biggest competitor is the fear of walking through the front door, which Planet Fitness is addressing by creating a warm, welcoming environment, offering popular equipment and providing PE training to help new members get comfortable.
