Gymshark taps Asos’ Mat Dunn as new finance chief

UK gymwear retailer Gymshark has appointed Mat Dunn as its new chief financial officer, the latest in a number of top level hires at the fast-growing business.

In his new role, Dunn is tasked with helping Gymshark become “the global powerhouse and iconic brand he and all the senior leadership believe it can be”.

He joins the company from fashion giant Asos, where he has served as CFO since 2019, before taking on the additional role of chief operating officer in 2021.

He also stepped in as interim CEO following the departure of Nick Beighton last year.

Dunn will join Gymshark in early 2023 and will replace Philip Daw who has been at the business since 2015.

Commenting on his appointment in a statement, Dunn said: “Gymshark is a brand I’ve admired from afar for a long time. There are very few British companies that could become a global leader in such a short space of time.”

Gymshark bolsters executive team

Dunn is the latest in a number of recent top level hires at Gymshark, including the appointment of Lululemon’s Danielle Petesic as chief product officer, Burberry’s John Douglas as chief technology officer, and The Very Group’s Carly O’Brien as vice president of marketing.

Gymshark was founded in 2012 by Ben Francis from his parents’ garage in Birmingham.

In just ten years, the company has become one of the faces of the burgeoning activewear market, and in 2020 became just the second British company since 2001 to achieve a valuation of over 1 billion pounds without any prior investment.

Commenting on the new appointment, Francis said: “In Mat, we are getting one of the best CFOs, not just in retail, but in business globally. His record for growth at Asos, Britvic and SABMiller speaks for itself.

“He will bring a new dimension, both to our financial operation and Gymshark as a whole and he will undoubtedly help us grow into the company I truly believe we can be.”