Latest news with #RoryMcEntee
Arabian Business
17-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Home-grown fitness chain GymNation hires new talent to strengthen its leadership in the region and support expansion plans
Middle East fitness brand GymNation recently announced a series of high-profile senior appointments as it gears up for a significant growth push across the GCC region. The new hires across various sectors, such as marketing, finance, corporate sales, and project delivery, are set to play a pivotal role in driving the company's strategic expansion. The moves come as GymNation positions itself to double its footprint, with a goal of operating 50 gyms across the Middle East by the end of the year. Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, will drive brand strategy, creative campaigns, and community engagement. With his vast experience in brand storytelling and culturally resonant campaigns, McEntee is expected to reinforce GymNation's reputation as the region's most disruptive and dynamic fitness brand. Rob MacTighearnain, Chief Financial Officer, brings his expertise in scaling high-growth companies across SaaS, fintech, and start-up sectors to scale GymNation's operations in the region. Sophie Hamilton-McEntee, appointed Head of Corporate Sales has extensive experience in workplace well-being initiatives. Hamilton-McEntee will lead efforts to strengthen GymNation's partnerships with businesses and promote healthier corporate cultures across the region. Samy Al Aaser joins as Projects Director and will oversee the development and rollout of new gym locations across the company's expanding portfolio. In tandem with the leadership expansion, GymNation has inaugurated a new regional headquarters in Riyadh, along with a KSA-based support team led by Colin Carter, Director of Property & Acquisitions. The team will focus on new property acquisitions across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. Loren Holland, Founder and CEO of GymNation, described the appointments as a critical step in the company's growth trajectory. 'We're delighted to welcome Rob, Rory, Samy, and Sophie to the GymNation family,' said Holland. 'Each brings a wealth of experience, fresh perspective, and leadership strengths that will be pivotal as we enter our next phase of aggressive growth. With their support, alongside the existing management team, we're confident in our ability to double the size of the business once again, and by the end of this year, we will have 50 open or committed gyms across the Middle East, capable of supporting up to 500,000 gym members.' The opening of GymNation's new headquarters in Riyadh also marks a major milestone in the company's regional expansion. Holland also highlighted the opening of GymNation's first gym in Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh's Qurtubah District, set for June 20th. 'With over 7,000 founding members already signed up, this launch reflects the enormous demand for accessible fitness in the Kingdom,' said Holland.
Campaign ME
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
GymNation CMO on brand-aligned trends and ‘stunts' in campaigns
Over the past few months, brands have been looking to differentiate themselves and remain distinctive within a crowded and competitive market, while still staying informed and reflecting trends that connect them with evolving consumer preferences. Marketers have been looking to unlock new ways to inspire innovation, engage consumers, and ensure that their brands resonates culturally and socially with diverse audiences. However, this has also required meaningful, brand-aligned trendsetting, instead of blindly following trends that may not be aligned with a brand's core values and identity. In April 2025, Campaign Middle East spotted how GymNation latched onto the April Fools' trend: Teasing the 'world's first in-gym hotel' to tap into the obsession with the Middle East region's 24/7 gym culture in a way that was both absurd and right on-brand. 'The challenge today is people in the boardroom see trends and think the brand should be jumping on the topic to get a short-term injection spike. But as marketers, we need to ask ourselves a few questions before deciding which moments to jump on.' Commenting on this in an exclusive conversation with Campaign Middle East, Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer at GymNation, said. 'It wasn't random at all. It was smart, sharable, and felt very much like something GymNation could actually do.' McEntee explained. 'Meaningful, brand-aligned occasion campaigns should be rooted in authentic connection between the brand's values and the occasion being celebrated. It feels intentional, strategic, and resonant with both the brand identity and its audience. Ultimately it doesn't feel odd that your brand is talking about the topic and so it should feel normal, not forced.' He added, 'On the flip side, a gimmick or trend-chasing stunt feels opportunistic, like it's been slapped on just to for short term likes and engagement. The recent AI action doll trend is a perfect example of a gimmick where brands try to capture attention and ride the viral wave, with little thought for long-term brand equity. Ironically, those who did it just looked like copycats and there was little authentic thinking behind it all.' 'A poorly thought through stunt however runs the risk of just becoming another speck in the wall of noise.' The discussion with the GymNation CMO also delved into strategically finding the right mix of brand alignment, audience relevance, and strategic intention. 'The challenge today is people in the boardroom see trends and think the brand should be jumping on the topic to get a short-term injection spike. But as marketers, we need to ask ourselves a few questions before deciding which moments to jump on. You don't need to do Pride, April Fools or Mental Health Day just because everyone else is,' McEntee said. He called on marketers to ask themselves a few critical questions before jumping onto trends. Does it align with your brand's DNA? If it doesn't reflect your values or mission. Skip it. Does it matter to your audience? it's not just about what's trending, it's about what's meaningful to them. Can you add real value? You need to ensure you can offer something different and not just copy others. Can you offer some insight, humour or a different perspective? Are you willing to commit beyond the moment? One-off posts or stunts can feel hollow so if you're going to show up, be ready to back it up with action, and long-term storytelling. Be known for doing things regularly. Clearly, when done right, even bold or unconventional campaigns can spark real connection and drive deeper brand relevance. McEntee added, 'It's all about how you execute and why you're doing it. A well-designed stunt can cut through and connect as long as it's not just noise. If it's brave, brand-led, and culturally sharp, it can fuel relevance rather than undermine it. A poorly thought through stunt however runs the risk of just becoming another speck in the wall of noise.' Through the conversation McEntee also offered advice on how to anchor trends in 'brand truth'; how to build a sense of community through shared moments and inside jokes; and how to lean into co-creation, feedback and community participation to turn the 'stunt' into a 'collaborative brand story'. He explained, 'If the stunt reveals something true about your product, purpose, or personality, it doesn't just entertain, it reinforces brand meaning in a memorable way. Specsavers are the experts of this and their tagline – Should have gone to Specsavers – allows them to jump on almost any culturally relevant topic from sports to traffic accidents and it always feels relevant.' 'Sometimes the best stunts just give people something fun or absurd to rally around or share, creating a sense of community or in-the-know belonging. One of these biggest tribes is in the fitness world and the recent Gymshark campaign taps into the mindset of gym goers. With lines including Bite-Sized Protein with a person nibbling the callous on his hands to 'we hope you fail' with a participant struggling to life a weight, it knows how gym goers think and people relate and share the work,' he added. Recent examples, including Spotify with Wrapped, a 'moment' that's deeply personal, highly shareable, as well as those from Deliveroo and Monzo bank, highlight how brands can open the door to their audiences to be the brand moment. 'Whether through co-creation, response, or activation, this can turn a stunt into a collaborative brand story. Your community feels part of it and become conducive to your marketing efforts. That same tribe energy is also something GymNation tapped into with the hotel stunt. It became an inside joke for fitness fanatics, and it felt like it was made by the gym community for the gym community,' McEntee concluded.
