---
title: "Club Pilates signs master franchise deal in the U.K."
url: https://burnaze.com/article/402c6efd-3fb5-45b3-8f1f-5d7d0494feb6
source: "Global Franchise"
original_url: https://www.global-franchise.com/news/club-pilates-signs-master-franchise-deal-in-the-u-k
author: "Raghav Patel"
category: "Boutique fitness"
industry: "Fitness"
segment: "Boutique fitness"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2022-07-13T09:15:27.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T16:11:09.336Z
image: https://cdn.global-franchise.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Club_Pilates_Interior.jpg
---

# Club Pilates signs master franchise deal in the U.K.

**TL;DR:** Club Pilates, owned by Xponential Fitness, has signed a master franchise agreement in the U.K. with Richard Uku, founder of Deblankson Fitness Group. Richard Uku will bring the Club Pilates brand to the U.K., leveraging his experience as a multi-unit franchisee in the United States.

*By Raghav Patel, originally published in Global Franchise on 2022-07-13. [Read the original](https://www.global-franchise.com/news/club-pilates-signs-master-franchise-deal-in-the-u-k).*

## Story

Club Pilates has announced the signing of a master franchise agreement in the U.K. The pilates brand, owned by Xponential Fitness, has signed with Richard Uku, founder of Deblankson Fitness Group and a multi-unit franchisee of Club Pilates and sister brand, AKT, in the United States.

“Richard Uku is a seasoned Club Pilates owner and we look forward to teaming up with him to debut Club Pilates in the United Kingdom,” said John Kersh, chief international development officer of Xponential Fitness.

“We know that Richard will hone the skills he’s developed as an owner in the U.S. to bring the life-changing benefits of pilates to millions of Britons.”

Uku currently has six studios in New Jersey and New York. He was brought up and spent his formative years in the U.K. He attended college in the U.K. and began his career working in corporate finance in the City of London and moved back to Wall Street 20 years ago. In 2016, Uku got involved with Club Pilates and now has a desire to bring the brand to the U.K.

“In the U.K. today, pilates using the reformer and other equipment is still a niche offering within this market and there are no brands with a national presence,” said Uku.

“The Deblankson Fitness Group team is very excited to have the responsibility of bringing the Club Pilates brand to the U.K.”

## Entities

- Fitness (sector)
- Global Franchise (publication)
- international expansion (topic)
- fitness industry (topic)
- Raghav Patel (person)
- U.K. (location)
- Xponential Fitness (company)
- Club Pilates (company)
- master franchise (topic)
- AKT (company)
- John Kersh (person)

---
Originally reported by Raghav Patel, Global Franchise (https://www.global-franchise.com/news/club-pilates-signs-master-franchise-deal-in-the-u-k). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/402c6efd-3fb5-45b3-8f1f-5d7d0494feb6).