Martin Seibold, the managing director of Fitness First UK, has left the company eight months after it was acquired by DW Sports, Health Club Management can reveal.

The move has ended Seibold's more-than-decade-long association with the mid-market fitness brand – almost five years of which he spent as MD.

In September 2016, DW Sport – owned by sportswear mogul Dave Whelan – acquired the firm and its whole 62-club portfolio.

Following the deal it was revealed that the Fitness First’s brand would be kept, while Seibold was expected to stay on to “work closely” with DW Sports managing director Scott Best.

In an exclusive interview with Health Club Management shortly after the acquisition, Seibold said that the deal “won’t be a case of DW just jumping in and dictating how things are done”.

“It will take six to nine months for all the pieces to fall into place. But we have a combination of two brands that are really going place, and that’s very exciting,” he added.

DW Sports and Fitness First declined to comment.