Chris Rondeau, former CEO of Planet Fitness, has joined Panobianco Academia, the largest gym franchisor in Brazil, as a shareholder and strategic advisor.
As one of the key figures behind Planet Fitness’s low-cost model, Rondeau spent nearly 30 years working to build the brand into the global giant it is today. Starting from the front desk of the gym and working his way up, Rondeau has proven that hard work and dedication can get you far.
Now, Rondeau sees Panobianco as the next powerhouse in the fitness industry. “I see the same signals in Panobianco today that I saw in Planet fitness in 2010, just before our explosive growth phase,” said Rondeau in a press release.
And Panobianco is doing just that. With over 400 locations since 2012 — 160 of which opened this year — the brand is proving itself as a leader in the fitness industry. Similarly to Planet Fitness, Panobianco focuses on the high-value, low-price model, delivering fitness experiences at an affordable rate and targets what Rondeau sees as “the 80% of the population that traditional gyms ignore.”
Rondeau will be joining to support the brand’s expansion in Brazil, Mexico and other parts of Latin America. Their expansion will include three major parts — financial structuring built to provide capital to franchisees for equipment and expansion, a board of directors to establish a standard made for future market events and shifting to focus on multi-unit operators allowing the brand to help single unit franchisees towards scalable growth.
“Chris’s arrival is validation of our business and a catalyst for our future,” said Felipe Barthe de Castro , the CEO of Panobianco, in a statement. “With Chris’s mentorship, we are preparing our franchisees for a new era of professionalization and equipping Panobianco with the governance and capital structure needed for a global footprint.”
Panobianco is set to have 600 locations by the end of 2026 — a targeted growth plan, creating a standard for the fitness landscape in Latin America.
