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Wattbike has announced the appointment of Greg Nieuwenhuys as chairman to help drive the company’s growth.
An experienced CEO and non-executive director, Nieuwenhuys was most recently chairman of Swiss mountain brand, Mammut Sports Group.
He has also worked as CEO of UK retailers Cotswold Outdoors, Snow+Rock and Runners Need, after leading Bever, the largest outdoor retailer in the Netherlands.
Besides a career in the sports market, Nieuwenhuys is passionate about endurance achievements in his personal life.
His experiences include summiting and skiing down Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world, and running UTMB, an ultra-trail running race around Mt Blanc.
On his new role, Nieuwenhuys said: “We spend so much time working that I only ever take on roles within companies that I’m passionate about. Wattbike is an amazing company, helping people to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing, focused on those who have clear goals.
“The quality of the Wattbike product is unique, being the first ever smart bike and used by a wide range of audiences, from Olympians, NFL athletes and the All Blacks in New Zealand, through to talent ID programmes, medical testing and the every-day gym goer.
“I’m looking forward to supporting the team as it takes this next step to accelerate the growth through reaching an even wider audience, also far outside of the UK, while continuing to deliver the best innovations for indoor cycling.”
The smart bike brand, which launched in 2008, is recognised as one of the leading smart training tools and its products have been shortlisted at industry awards for innovation.
Wattbike also has ambitious plans for growth and it sees the appointment of Nieuwenhuys as another step towards achieving its vision.
Rich Baker, Wattbike CEO, added: “Greg has an impressive track record, both in the office and across his personal achievements.
“His ability to combine his strong interpersonal and analytical skills, his experience of the global sports market along with his energy will be a fantastic asset to our team and brand.
“I’m looking forward to Greg working with the talented, energetic Wattbike team and becoming a valuable member as we embark on an exciting next chapter for the company in regards to strategy, expansion and innovation.”
As part of the brand’s ambitions, it has received investment from consumer brands specialist investor Piper.
On the appointment of Nieuwenhuys, Dan Stern, a partner at Piper, said: “His experience and insights into the sports market are of huge value to the brand and his own personal interest in high performance activities gives him a genuine understanding of Wattbike’s capabilities and its appeal to regular consumers and elite athletes alike.
“We very much look forward to working with him.”
