Andrew Knight, former MD of the Spirit Group pub chain, has been named as the new boss of WeightWatchers UK.
Knight took up the senior vice president role last month, assuming responsibility for overseeing WeightWatchers' meetings as well as its online and licensed foods operations from its UK HQ in Maidenhead. He left Spirit Group which has since been renamed the Punch Pub Company in 2008, after two years in the top role. During his time there, about half of its 1,800 pubs were either sold or converted to tenancies.
In the interim, Knight worked as a business consultant. Prior to Spirit Group, Knight spent more than 20 years in the hospitality and on-trade. He succeeds Mads Ryder, who departed in December, and will report directly to Melanie Stubbing, president of WeightWatchers International. "I am excited to join a company that boasts such scientific and evidence-based credibility, combined with great compassion and strength," he said. "I will be driving forward innovative projects."
WeightWatchers said that Knight's "operational, commercial and marketing experience" would be an asset to the business.
Meanwhile, Weight-Watchers UK's commercial director Elizabeth Egan has been promoted to vice president of European products and licensing. She will be responsible for the group's European licensed food ranges as well as meeting products, supporting all of its European general managers and the licensing and products teams in each market.
Knight took up the senior vice president role last month, assuming responsibility for overseeing WeightWatchers' meetings as well as its online and licensed foods operations from its UK HQ in Maidenhead. He left Spirit Group which has since been renamed the Punch Pub Company in 2008, after two years in the top role. During his time there, about half of its 1,800 pubs were either sold or converted to tenancies.
In the interim, Knight worked as a business consultant. Prior to Spirit Group, Knight spent more than 20 years in the hospitality and on-trade. He succeeds Mads Ryder, who departed in December, and will report directly to Melanie Stubbing, president of WeightWatchers International. "I am excited to join a company that boasts such scientific and evidence-based credibility, combined with great compassion and strength," he said. "I will be driving forward innovative projects."
WeightWatchers said that Knight's "operational, commercial and marketing experience" would be an asset to the business.
Meanwhile, Weight-Watchers UK's commercial director Elizabeth Egan has been promoted to vice president of European products and licensing. She will be responsible for the group's European licensed food ranges as well as meeting products, supporting all of its European general managers and the licensing and products teams in each market.
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