GymNation
21.11.2023 14:25:30 CET | ACCESS Newswire | Press release
Homegrown UAE fitness brand, GymNation, has proudly announced a management-led buyout of all equity held by previous investor, JD Gyms.
DUBAI, UAE / ACCESSWIRE / November 21, 2023 / Homegrown UAE fitness brand, GymNation, has proudly announced a management-led buyout of all equity held by previous investor, JD Gyms.
To view this piece of content from www.accesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.The deal, backed by Tricap Investments and Ruya Partners, sees the GymNation founders and management team, Loren Holland, Frank Afeaki and Anthony Martland, become significant majority shareholders in the business they founded back in 2017.
Tricap Investments is a diversified principal investment group with offices in Washington D.C. and Dubai, specialising in the execution of both direct and fund investments, and private equity transactions.
Ruya Partners is an independent private credit firm based in Abu Dhabi whose investor base includes institutional funds from the GCC including UAE sovereign-backed Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, a joint venture between Mubadala Capital and Alpha Wave Global, and Jada Fund of Funds, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Since its launch, GymNation has delivered on its mission of making fitness more affordable and accessible for the UAE population, and has rapidly grown from a single gym start-up into the UAE's leading gym operator with 12 gyms and over 60,000 members.
Having been voted "The Best Gym in the UAE" on Virgin Radio's The Kris Fade Show for the last 2 years running, and with over 40,000 five-star Google reviews, GymNation have cemented their position within the UAE as "The People's Gym" and are now set to replicate this success across the GCC.
Loren Holland, Founder & CEO, GymNation commented; "This management buyout is another exciting chapter for GymNation, and with the support and backing of Tricap Investments and Ruya Partners we are perfectly positioned to accelerate the growth of GymNation across the GCC. Within the coming weeks, we will be announcing our first six Saudi Arabian locations, a further four more UAE sites, as well as company formations in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. GymNation has pioneered the democratisation of health and fitness across the UAE, which prior to our launch was recognised as the 2nd most expensive market in the world to own a gym membership. Now it's time for us to have the same impact across other GCC markets."
The innovative structure of the deal has allowed GymNation to launch a trailblazing Equity Incentivisation Scheme for the wider management team, aimed at attracting and retaining world-class talent, through rewarding, incentivising and aligning, key members of the team with direct equity in the business.
Frank Afeaki commented; "On the day of signing the deal, 15 GymNation management team members also signed their own documentation to become shareholders in the business, I am proud that we are able to reward the team in a way that no others within the industry do and have them as shareholders alongside myself, Loren and Ant."
Ant Martland added: "We have an exceptional management team, supported by significant ongoing investments into key technology and systems that are going to place GymNation at the forefront of the fitness industry. It's still very early days in our growth story, and the whole team couldn't be more excited, and motivated, to rollout GymNation across the region."
The management team were advised by James Wigglesworth at Orca Capital (Corporate Finance) who will also join the board as a Non-Executive Director at completion, DLA Piper (Legal), Tatsu Partners (Debt Advisory) and PwC (Financial, Tax and Commercial Vendor Due Diligence).
Tricap Investments were advised by TAAS Partners (Legal).
Ruya Partners were advised by Dentons (Legal).
About GymNation
GymNation is the UAE's leading gym operator. With the first location opening in 2018, the company has grown to 12 UAE locations, with over 60,000 members. With memberships starting from AED 99 per month and no-contract, cancel-anytime membership options, GymNation is here to make a difference and ensure that everybody in the GCC has access to affordable, world-class fitness facilities - that's why we call ourselves "THE PEOPLE'S GYM".
For more information on GymNation, visit: www.gymnation.com
About Tricap Investments
Tricap Investments is a diversified principal investment group with offices in Washington D.C. and Dubai. Tricap invests on behalf of its principals, shareholders, and partners. The group sources, develops, structures, and executes both direct and fund investments and private equity transactions. For more than 30 years, Tricap and its principals and partners have invested globally in real estate, infrastructure and technology sectors.
For more information on Tricap Investments, visit: www.tricapinvestments.com
About Ruya Partners
Ruya Partners is an independent private credit firm that provides bespoke funding solutions to private sector companies in developing markets. Ruya Partners investor base includes sovereign-backed and pension funds from the GCC including UAE based Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, a joint venture between Mubadala Capital and Alpha Wave Global, and Saudi Arabia based Jada Fund of Funds. Ruya Partners is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and regulated by the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority.
For more information on Ruya Partners, visit: www.ruyapartners.com
Contact Information
Gym Nation
Head of PR
getfit@gymnation.com
SOURCE: GymNation
To view this piece of content from stats.newswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/807594/gymnation-the-uaes-leading-gym-operator-announces-management-buyout
To view this piece of content from www.accesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
About ACCESS Newswire
Subscribe to releases from ACCESS Newswire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from ACCESS Newswire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from ACCESS Newswire
Surmodics Opens Medical Device Coating Capabilities in Ireland10.9.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
The Galway Facility Brings Nearly 50 Years of Coating Expertise, Cleanroom Coating Services and Analytical Testing Closer to Medical Device Manufacturers Across Ireland and Europe BALLINASLOE, COUNTY GALWAY, IRELAND / ACCESS Newswire / September 10, 2026 / Surmodics, Inc. today announced its expanded medical device coating capabilities in Galway, Ireland, expanding access to the company's Performance Coatings and coating services for medical device manufacturers throughout Ireland and Europe. The facility now includes dedicated cleanroom environments designed for medical device coating services and brings Surmodics' nearly 50 years of coating experience closer to one of the world's leading medical technology hubs. "Ireland is home to a significant concentration of medical device manufacturers and technology innovators, making it an important market for Surmodics and our customers," said Damien Kilcommons, Vice President of Site Operation at the Ireland facility. "By establishing dedica
MicroVision to Preview Next-Generation Lidar-Based Perception Platform at IAA Transportation 202610.9.2026 15:20:00 CEST | Press release
New modular approach will bring together MicroVision lidar hardware, perception software and open sensor integration to enable flexible perception solutions across applications REDMOND, WA AND HANOVER, GER / ACCESS Newswire / September 10, 2026 / MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS), a leader in advanced perception technologies, today announced plans to unveil its MicroVision Perception Platform™ at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, Germany next week, marking the next evolution of the company's Lidar 2.0 strategy. The new modular platform is designed to bring together MicroVision's expanding portfolio of lidar hardware, perception software and open sensor integration into a flexible architecture that can be configured around the requirements of individual applications spanning automotive, commercial vehicles, industrial, security, defense and aerial use cases. Rather than relying on a fixed sensor configuration or closed "black box" solution, the MicroVision Perception Platform is being d
GA-ASI Unveils Wildfire UAS for Military, Civil and Commercial Roles10.9.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
New Uncrewed Aircraft Combines Exceptional Endurance and Range with Unsurpassed Payload and Affordability at Scale SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 10, 2026 / The world leader in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is pleased to announce its groundbreaking Wildfire UAS, a clean-sheet aircraft designed to maximize future investments in large uncrewed aircraft that incorporates lessons learned over decades of large-scale global UAS operations. Wildfire draws upon more than 30 years of delivering more than 1,600 world-changing uncrewed aircraft, including the MQ-1B Predator®, MQ-9A Reaper®, MQ-9B SkyGuardian®, MQ-20 Avenger® and FQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft. GA-ASI aircraft have amassed nearly 10 million total flight hours, mostly in combat, and introduced many of the technologies and concepts now emulated by others around the world. "This is exactly the right design for high-demand missions and cost-conscious customers," said
Steelcase Names Proven Growth Leader Irene Tasi as President9.9.2026 21:00:00 CEST | Press release
Experienced commercial and innovative leader will guide the Steelcase business as the company builds on its design leadership, dealer network and customer-focused strategy. GRAND RAPIDS, MI / ACCESS Newswire / September 9, 2026 / Steelcase today announced Irene Tasi has been named president of Steelcase and will lead the business effective September 14, 2026. Tasi brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience with a track record leading complex businesses through growth, portfolio development, commercial execution, and organizational change. Her background includes full P&L responsibility, enterprise strategy, innovation, and sales and channel leadership. She will report to Jeff Lorenger, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, HNI Corporation. "Irene brings a combination of commercial leadership, product innovation, operating discipline, and customer focus that makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead Steelcase," said Lorenger. "She has led businesses where
Global Study: Nursing Shortages Require Workforce Policy Solutions, Not Recruitment Campaigns Alone9.9.2026 15:01:00 CEST | Press release
Why people choose nursing, and why they leave, comes down to the same factors PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESS Newswire / September 9, 2026 / The global nursing shortage cannot be solved simply by encouraging more people to enter the profession, according to a new evidence brief from the Global Nursing Workforce Centre (GNWC), a joint initiative of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and TruMerit®. Drawing on research from 42 countries, the brief, The Attractiveness of Nursing for Prospective and Current Nursing Students, finds that the factors influencing people to choose nursing are often the same ones that determine whether they stay. Working conditions, compensation, professional respect, career development opportunities, workplace experiences, and the ability to provide quality care all shape nursing attractiveness to current nurses as well as potential recruits. The findings suggest that countries seeking to strengthen their nursing workforce must focus not only on recruitment, bu
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom