The Marque The Marque

Steve Hewitt

Non-Executive Director & Former CEO

Gymshark

Birmingham, UK


Steve Hewitt
Harry Herbert
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Ltd
Farhad Heydari
House of Heydari

Steve’s Biography

Steve Hewitt is a Non-Executive Director and former CEO and Executive Chair of Gymshark, one of the world’s best-known and exciting direct-to-consumer fitness wear labels.

Steve joined Gymshark as an external advisor in 2014, and became Managing Director the following year when he began the process of professionalising Gymshark, laying the foundations for the enterprise’s next stage of expansion.

In 2017 Steve stepped into the position of CEO and led the building up of Gymshark’s senior leadership team. This team oversaw the brand’s exponential growth on a global scale, winning numerous international awards along the way.

Under Steve’s leadership, Gymshark went from being a leading start-up to becoming a global brand with customers in more than 178 countries. In August 2020 Gymshark was valued at over £1bn ($1.3bn) and joined the exclusive list of British companies to achieve “unicorn” status.

After handing back the role of CEO to Gymshark’s founder, Ben Francis, Steve became Executive Chair at Gymshark before stepping back from the business to become a Non-Executive Director...
Steve Hewitt is a Non-Executive Director and former CEO and Executive Chair of Gymshark, one of the world’s best-known and exciting direct-to-consumer fitness wear labels.

Steve joined Gymshark as an external advisor in 2014, and became Managing Director the following year when he began the process of professionalising Gymshark, laying the foundations for the enterprise’s next stage of expansion.

In 2017 Steve stepped into the position of CEO and led the building up of Gymshark’s senior leadership team. This team oversaw the brand’s exponential growth on a global scale, winning numerous international awards along the way.

Under Steve’s leadership, Gymshark went from being a leading start-up to becoming a global brand with customers in more than 178 countries. In August 2020 Gymshark was valued at over £1bn ($1.3bn) and joined the exclusive list of British companies to achieve “unicorn” status.

After handing back the role of CEO to Gymshark’s founder, Ben Francis, Steve became Executive Chair at Gymshark before stepping back from the business to become a Non-Executive Director in August 2022.

In 2022 Steve set up advisory company, Whānau. He is Non Executive Chairman & Investor at Passenger Clothing, and Investment Director & Investor at D.Louise, a direct-to-consumer jewellery brand.

Steve has held several senior executive positions throughout his career, including CEO of Sport Brands Group, a specialist in establishing distribution and licensing partnerships with global brands, and commercial director for Reebok, where he spent six years overseeing year-on-year double-digit growth in vital markets in the EMEA region.

Steve is a born leader with a competitive spirit and a knack for fostering purpose-driven and people-centred environments. Furthermore, he has substantial financial modelling experience to push organisational scalability on a global scale; traits and talents that have been crucial to his success.
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Steve’s Newsfeed

The Industry.Fashion
Former Gymshark CEO invests in affordable jewellery brand D.Louise

Former Gymshark Executive Chair and CEO Steve Hewitt has invested in jewellery brand, D.Louise, and has joined the business as investment director as it seeks to redefine the jewellery industry by creating high-quality, aesthetic jewellery at affordable prices. 

The Sunday Times
Sunday Times 100 2023: Passenger

Steve Hewitt is Chairman and investor at Passenger clothing which was ranked #9 in the Sunday Times list of Britain's fastest growing private companies.

View News Archive

Steve’s Background

Gymshark
Non-Executive Director & Former CEO
Aug 2022 - Present
Solihull, UK
Gymshark is a fitness accessory and apparel business established in 2012 by Ben Francis. In less than a decade it has grown into a top sportswear brand. The company credits its success to continuous innovation, a strong online presence, and high-quality products.
 
Gymshark
Executive Chairman
Aug 2021 - Aug 2022
Birmingham, UK
 
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Steve’s Gallery

Other Business Interests

Whānau Advisory
Founder
Nov 2022 - Present
Whānau Advisory was founded by Steve Hewitt to help entrepreneurs and senior leadership teams build small to medium-sized businesses into global brands. The company donates a percentage of its profits to charities providing housing, mentoring, and supporting healthcare programmes.
 

Current Board Positions

D.Louise
Investment Director & Investor
Oct 2023 - Present
D.Louise is a fast-growing direct-to-consumer jewellery brand that makes and sells high-quality jewellery at affordable prices.
 
Passenger Clothing Ltd
Non-Executive Chairman & Investor
May 2023 - Present
New Milton, UK
Passenger is a UK-based, responsible, outdoor clothing brand founded in 2012. The company makes affordable clothing and products for the outdoors that mix style, quality and sustainability. The brand is set to achieve sales of £50m this year.
 

Media

Speakers for Schools: Steve Hewitt
Video interview
Mar 2022
Steve Hewitt gives a wide ranging interview to Speakers for Schools, including how he became CEO of Gymshark and his leadership ethos.
 

Publications

The Times
Contributor
To view Steve Hewitt's articles in The Times, click on the link.
 

Awards & Recognition

The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 logo The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 logo
The Sunday Times Profit Track 100
Winner 2020
London, UK
Gymshark topped the league in the 2020 Sunday Times Profit Track 100, ranking the UK’s private companies with the fastest growing profits. The company's profits jumped from £1.1 million in 2016 to £18.6 million in 2019.
 
The Sunday Times International Track 200 Awards logo The Sunday Times International Track 200 Awards logo
The Sunday Times International Track 200 Awards
Winner 2019
London, UK
Gymshark took the top spot in The Sunday Times International Track 200 Awards 2019. The leage ranks the UK's mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales.
 
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Steve’s Education

Manchester Metropolitan University
BA Honours in Business & Sports Management
1991 - 1995