TL;DR
Get workout gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Equinox appointed Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth as its chief executive and completed refinancing that the company says provides more than $1 billion for growth. Chairman Harvey Spevak will remain in that role, while the company plans to expand its club pipeline and reinvest in existing locations. Equinox has not disclosed the financing terms or the size of the equity contribution.
Equinox has appointed Brendan Whitworth, the chief executive of Anheuser-Busch, as its CEO and completed a refinancing that the luxury fitness company says gives it more than $1 billion for new clubs, upgrades and other growth plans. Harvey Spevak, who has led the company since 1999, will stay on as chairman, and Whitworth will join the board.
The leadership change comes as Equinox looks to accelerate development from a pipeline of about 50 planned clubs, pursue markets it considers promising and reinvest in its existing locations. The company operates 118 clubs across 18 major markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. It did not provide a timeline for the planned openings.
Equinox said the refinancing includes additional equity from existing investors Silver Lake, principals of Related Companies and Ares. Existing lenders Ares and Sixth Street took part in the debt financing. The company did not disclose the amount of new equity, the debt terms or a breakdown of how the more than $1 billion will be allocated.
Equinox said recent club openings have exceeded its projections and described its top-line growth as double-digit, with membership, activity and check-ins at all-time highs. Those are company-reported figures; the source report did not provide financial statements or underlying data to independently assess them.
Funding Equinox’s Club Expansion
The financing gives Equinox reported access to substantial capital as it pursues new locations and improvements to existing clubs. For members, the plans could mean more sites and upgraded facilities, though the company has not identified which locations will receive investment or announced a schedule for openings.
The appointment also places a senior executive with experience in consumer goods at the helm of a business built around premium fitness and wellness services. Whitworth’s operating record at Anheuser-Busch and earlier commercial roles at PepsiCo are relevant to the move, but Equinox has not described specific changes to its strategy or operations under his leadership.
Equinox has also been extending its offer beyond conventional gym access into health and longevity services. Its growth plans could affect how much attention and investment it gives those newer areas alongside club expansion; the company has not set out a detailed plan for that balance.
Products Worth Considering
Fitbit Versa 2 Health and Fitness Smartwatch with Heart Rate, Alexa, Music, Sleep and Swim Tracking
Garmin Venu® 3 Premium Fitness Smartwatch 45mm Black
Therabody Theragun Relief Massage Gun, 3-Speed, Navy
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A New CEO Amid Wellness Growth
Whitworth most recently served as CEO of Anheuser-Busch, following commercial leadership roles there, including chief sales officer. Before joining the beer company, he held senior commercial positions at PepsiCo. He served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and holds an economics degree from Bucknell University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Equinox has pushed into services that connect fitness with health data and longevity. Over the past two years, it introduced Optimize, a $3,000-per-month membership, and began working with Function Health, an at-home diagnostic testing platform, to help trainers build programs around members’ health data. The company has described these moves against a backdrop of increased consumer interest in fitness, health and wellness.
Equinox’s growth agenda also comes as fitness operators compete for prominent real estate, particularly in New York City. The source report cited large recent gym leases by Chelsea Piers and Life Time and said Equinox accounted for four of the city’s 10 largest retail leases in 2025. Equinox Terminal Warehouse, a club planned for a restored 1891 building in West Chelsea, was set to open Nov. 10, according to the report; it did not specify the year.
“Having known Brendan for several years, I was personally involved in bringing him to Equinox, and I’m thrilled to welcome him as our CEO.”
— Harvey Spevak, Equinox chairman
Financing Terms Still Undisclosed
Equinox has not disclosed the size of the equity infusion, the terms of the new debt or how the more than $1 billion in financing is divided among its growth priorities. The source report also does not identify a date for the announcement, a start date for Whitworth’s tenure or a schedule for the roughly 50 clubs in the pipeline.
The company’s statements about double-digit top-line growth and record membership and check-ins were not accompanied by figures or a comparison period in the report. It is also unclear whether the leadership change will alter Equinox’s plans for its health and longevity services, or which markets the company will target next.
Club Plans and CEO Priorities
The next concrete signs of Equinox’s growth plans will be details about new club openings, markets targeted for expansion and upgrades to its current sites. The company has not provided dates for those decisions or said when it will publish more information about the refinancing.
Whitworth’s role is to lead the company’s next phase, while Spevak remains chairman. Equinox’s stated plans point to continued investment in both its physical club network and its broader fitness and wellness offering, but the company has not yet set out targets or a timetable for either.
Key Questions
Who is Equinox’s new CEO?
Brendan Whitworth, most recently CEO of Anheuser-Busch, has been named Equinox’s chief executive. He will also join the company’s board.
What happens to Harvey Spevak?
Spevak, who has led Equinox since 1999, will remain chairman after Whitworth takes the CEO role.
How much financing has Equinox secured?
Equinox said its completed refinancing gives it more than $1 billion for new clubs, upgrades and other growth initiatives. It has not disclosed the detailed financing terms or the size of the equity contribution.
What does Equinox plan to do with the money?
The company plans to develop new clubs from a pipeline of about 50 locations, enter markets it views as promising and reinvest in existing clubs. It has not announced a timetable or location-by-location spending plan.
Source: athletechnews.com
