Ironman Group taps Equinox President as new CEO

The Ironman Group announced earlier this week the hiring of Scott DeRue as its new Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this role, DeRue served as President of Equinox. Head below for more details.

The appointment of Scott DeRue as Ironman Group’s new CEO comes as a welcome addition for the company. DeRue joins Ironman Group with a lifetime of dedication to creating experiences for people that help them to optimize and discover their own potential.

While at Equinox, DeRue was in charge of overseeing the brand that included 107 elite fitness clubs, digital commerce, media properties, personal training and coaching practices, and a connected fitness platform. He led Equinox through substantial rebuilding and growth, always focusing on customer satisfaction; additionally, DeRue played a critical role in allowing Equinox to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before he worked for Equinox, DeRue spent five years serving as Dean of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan; he also held various leadership and faculty roles at Michigan for over a decade and was recognized as one of the 50 most influential business professors in the world. Aside from his acute business acumen, DeRue himself has been passionate about accomplishing his own athletic feats, including summiting Everest, Denali, Elbrus, and Vinson. He can’t wait to get started with the Ironman Group:

I am honored to join and lead this purpose-driven organization that for 45 years has consistently tested the boundaries of human achievement and underscored the belief that Anything is Possible. My life has been deeply enriched by being part of the global endurance community and I feel incredibly fortunate to lead The IRONMAN Group in its mission to inspire people to be the best version of themselves through testing the limits of their physical and mental strength.

DeRue is following in the footsteps of Andrew Messick, who served as CEO for Ironman Group for 12 years – Messick announced his retirement in July 2023. He said of DeRue’s onboarding:

I am delighted to pass the baton to a leader of Scott’s experience and capabilities. His high energy and commitment level will inspire and motivate The IRONMAN Group’s employees, partners, and the triathlon, trail running, road running, and cycling communities. The company is in very capable hands, and I look forward to supporting his leadership of this amazing organization.