Manchester-based tech start-up Vivify Venues has appointed former Total Fitness CEO Richard Millman as non-executive chairman.
The bookings business which matches community clubs and organisations with under-used venues across the country welcomes Millman on board to support the leadership team and help drive business growth.
As well as Millman’s former role at Total Fitness, he has also held positions at Dixons Retail and The Coca Cola Company. He has extensive experience in working with private equity backed businesses and is also currently non-executive chairman of The Protein Works, one of the UK’s leading and fastest growing manufacturers and online retailers of sports nutrition.
Vivify’s managing director Russell Teale said; “We are all delighted to welcome Richard to the Vivify team. Richard will bring a wealth of experience having worked for some of the biggest brands as well as being an inspirational leader to us all.
“Having worked with Richard previously, I am excited to work together to achieve our goal to help tackle physical and social inactivity across the UK, particularly in these testing times for the nation.”
Millman added: “Vivify has a real opportunity to step change facilities provision across the UK, making under utilised assets more available at the heart of the communities which need them, alongside generating much needed additional income.
“Enabling facilities to be fully utilised is a key building block in getting people more active, bringing people together and further building a sense of community. Seeing a facility with its lights off and doors locked means that it is not playing its full role in the community and also not maximising income for its owner.”
Vivify, which launched its platform earlier this month, also achieved £180,000 investment from digital transformation agency Parallax in September. The business already employs nine people and is on a significant recruitment drive for the remainder of the year.