Humphrey Cobbold
Humphrey Cobbold | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 13, 1964 Nairobi, Kenya |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | CEO of PureGym, former CEO of Wiggle Ltd |
Humphrey Michael Cobbold (born 13 November 1964) currently holds the position of chair at PureGym, one of the foremost gym chains in the UK. He became part of the company in 2015 when it operated 84 gyms and has overseen its growth to nearly 700 facilities.
Early life and education
Cobbold was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and received his early education at Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire. He later obtained academic qualifications from the University of Cambridge and completed an MBA at INSEAD.
Career
Previously, Cobbold was the CEO of Wiggle Ltd, a UK-based e-commerce retailer specializing in cycling and triathlon gear. He also held the role of chairman at Fish4, a recruitment website in Britain, and served as Director of Strategic Development as well as a member of the executive committee at Trinity Mirror.
Before these appointments, he worked as a partner and co-leader of the UK media division at the international management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
Departure from Wiggle
In September 2009, Humphrey Cobbold took on the role of CEO at Wiggle Ltd., an online bicycle retailer located in Portsmouth. Throughout his leadership, he navigated the company through difficult periods, including its acquisition by Bridgepoint Capital. Cobbold resigned from his CEO position in late 2013, with Stefan Barden succeeding him. During this time, Wiggle's yearly revenue increased from £33 million to more than £140 million; Cobbold likened managing this swift expansion to "trying to ride a tiger."
When stepping down, he stated, “I have had the privilege to work with a truly fabulous group of colleagues and business partners over the last four years. The time is now right for someone else to lead the peloton and take Wiggle forward to future success.”
Following his departure from Wiggle, Cobbold was associated with a potential acquisition attempt for the online furniture retailer sofa.com.
PureGym
Since 2013, Cobbold has been CEO of PureGym, overseeing a network comprising over 400 gym locations with upwards of 1.1 million members. His tenure saw significant growth for PureGym, highlighted by the acquisition of Fitness World in 2019.
Personal life
Cobbold is married to Nicola and they have three children together. His brother Tim formerly served as CEO of UBM plc. Additionally, Humphrey is related to Robert Runcie, who was once Archbishop of Canterbury.