Chris Hemsworth's Centr app shuts down Melbourne HQ and sacks 15 staff after $100m sale to Jeff Bezos's brother
The move comes just over a year after the actor, 42, sold the app for a reported $100m to HighPost Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Mark Bezos - the brother of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.
A spokesperson for Centr confirmed that the Melbourne office will no longer operate, and only a few Australian employees will remain on board in remote roles.
The spokesperson said: 'As Centr continues to scale globally, we've made the strategic decision to consolidate operations in the US to improve operational and geographic efficiency.'
'This transition affects 15 roles, with a few team members continuing remotely as part of the US–based team. Centr remains focused on continued growth across its digital platform, performance–grade equipment, and global partnerships.'
Nick Robinson, Centr's digital general manager, added that the company planned to 'continue to drive towards business goals' through 'streamlining operations' and hiring top talent in the US.
It's the second wave of job cuts to hit the Australian team in just over a year, after a previous round of layoffs saw around 20 roles slashed.
Until recently, the Melbourne office served as Centr's hub for content creation, customer service, and sales and marketing for Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Daily Mail understands all 23 remaining staff in the Melbourne office were summoned to a meeting and informed it would be their final day with the company.
One senior creative, who is currently five months pregnant, took to LinkedIn and claimed she was given no warning before being told her role was being terminated immediately.
The brutal timing of the layoffs also raised eyebrows given Chris has been spotted vacationing in Spain with wife Elsa Pataky and their children in recent weeks.
It comes just a month after former Centr CEO Zsofi Paterson departed the company and announced she had taken up a new role with children's photo–sharing startup Tinybeans.
Chris launched Centr in 2019, leveraging his global fame and shredded physique to attract subscribers to the platform, which offers high-intensity workouts, meal plans, meditation routines, and wellness tips.
The app charges $119 annually or $20 per month and still prominently features Chris in marketing campaigns, despite his reduced involvement in the day-to-day running of the business.
When it was acquired by HighPost Capital, owned by David Moross and Mark Bezos, the company moved its headquarters to Los Angeles but kept a team in Melbourne.
In April 2022, Chris told his 54 million social media followers that he was 'thrilled' Centr had been acquired by Mark Bezos.
At the time of the sale, a Centr representative said Chris would keep an active role in the company and that he was still a major shareholder.
The company's website retains the actor's image as founder and carries his endorsement. It reads: 'As one of Hollywood's leading men, Chris is known for diverse roles that require serious physical transformations.'
'He attributes much of his success to his team of world-class experts in fitness, nutrition and wellness. With Centr, his team is now your team.'
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