World Gym Australia Plans Ambitious Expansion

World Gym Australia (WGA) has teamed with fitness industry veteran Leon McNiece as it lays the groundwork to expand the brand in Australia and New Zealand,

McNiece, the founder of Goodlife Health Clubs Australia, Snap Fitness Australia/New Zealand and owner of Total Fusion Health and Wellness clubs, has now acquired a stake in the WGA master franchise — a move that Jon Davie and Mike Nysten, World Gym Australia partners, say positions the fitness club as the largest big box chain in the land down under.

“With a gross sales turnover exceeding $100 million last financial year and growth projected to (increase 25%) annually, this partnership will open up our ability to evolve, grow and continue to provide fantastic workout spaces and experiences for our members,” Nysten remarked.

Expansion plans

McNiece says he invested in WGA due to its business model, brand strategy and “pipeline of future growth opportunities,” and is impressed with its leadership team.

WGA, a unit of World Gym International, currently has over 140,000 members across 40 clubs in Australia. With McNiece in the mix, WGA says there will be a rapid expansion of facilities, with ten clubs slated to open in the next 12 months in the QLD, NSW, WA and NT regions. The fitness club also seeks multi-unit holders inside its franchising group and is eager to welcome new franchisees to WGA.

Plans are also underway to introduce a platinum club model and accelerate corporate clubs across Australia. WGA confirms that a syndication model is in development, allowing investors to “enter in a more affordable scenario.”

The fitness entrepreneur is no stranger to the world of WGA, having previously worked with CEO Roger Westerman as the two created and built Goodlife Health Clubs into one of Australia’s leading fitness brands.

Leadership team

“I am delighted to be working again with Leon,” said Westerman, who was appointed to his leadership role in October 2022. “His vision, experience and integrity will be a very welcome addition in this next exciting phase of growth.”

Since joining WGA, Westerman has established a corporate office and formed a growth and profitability-focused team, structure and processes.

World Gym Australia’s expansion plans come on the heels of a new partnership with Coach Welly, an Australian health tech platform, that elevates its customer experience and boosts engagement with AI-personalized support and rewards.

Coach Welly already offers “wellness readiness” measurements to fine-tune recommended activities for users. With a quick 60-second scan of a finger using the camera app on a smartphone, users can discover their Coach Welly readiness score, which is based on heart rate variability.