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NEWS
Playlist and EGYM are merging to create a US$7.5 billion company
POSTED 15 Jan 2026 . BY Kath Hudson
Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer and Fritz Lanman Credit: EGYM/Playlist
Playlist and EGYM are merging
The new organisation will create an integrated wellness technology platform
The transaction, which will close in 3-4 months, includes US$785 million in new equity investments
Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, CEO of EGYM says making an impact on prevention is a shared mission

Playlist, parent company of Mindbody, Booker and Classpass, has merged with EGYM, supplier of AI-enabled workout programmes and corporate wellness solutions, to create an expanded entity with a US$7.5 billion valuation.

The deal is expected to close in three to four months once it clears the ususal regulatory hurdles.

The transaction will include US$785 million in new equity investment led by Affinity Partners, with participation from a consortium of existing investors, including Vista Equity Partners, Temasek and L Catterton. 

The two businesses already had a number of shared backers.

Fritz Lanman, CEO of Playlist and Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, CEO of EGYM, will serve as co-founders of the newly expanded Playlist organisation. Roesch-Schlanderer will also join Monti Saroya, co-head of Vista Equity Partners’ Flagship Fund, as co-chair of Playlist.

On completion, Playlist’s brands will operate as they do currently, while EGYM will continue its operations within the Playlist portfolio.

A major driver for the deal is complementary geographies and audiences, with EGYM dominating in B2B and Playbook largely driving B2C brands.

The deal will enable EGYM to expand its fitness technology and corporate wellness offerings into Playlist’s core markets – including North America and Asia.

In turn, Playlist will be able to grow its presence in Europe through EGYM’s established footprint.

Playlist and EGYM also plan to combine their expertise to form an integrated wellness technology platform that will create new opportunities to advance in-person wellness on a global scale. Increased investment in AI will also enable health club operators run more efficiently and deepen member engagement. 

The corporate wellness market is a significant part of the vision, with EGYM's Wellpass corporate fitness platform likely to benefit from the reach offered by Classpass to grow facility inventory. 

EGYM Wellpass partners with more than 20,000 employers and tens of thousands of fitness locations worldwide. 

Lanman says this is a pivotal moment for both companies: “By combining our geographies and complementary product portfolios, we’re uniting multiple layers of wellness – software, connected hardware, consumer booking and workplace wellbeing – into one global platform,” he explained.

Roesch-Schlanderer said: “Bringing EGYM together with the newly-created Playlist represents a profound opportunity to impact lives through preventative health. 

“We're uniting smart training equipment, club and studio access, management software, corporate wellness and personalised AI training into one connected ecosystem that will finally prove and scale the true value the fitness industry delivers," he continued. "Together, we can reduce chronic disease, lower healthcare costs and make people healthier and happier by shifting the world from repair to prevention.”

Playlist and EGYM generated more than US$800 million in net revenue in 2025.

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Uniting the world of spa & wellness
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NEWS
Playlist and EGYM are merging to create a US$7.5 billion company
POSTED 15 Jan 2026 . BY Kath Hudson
Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer and Fritz Lanman Credit: EGYM/Playlist
Playlist and EGYM are merging
The new organisation will create an integrated wellness technology platform
The transaction, which will close in 3-4 months, includes US$785 million in new equity investments
Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, CEO of EGYM says making an impact on prevention is a shared mission

Playlist, parent company of Mindbody, Booker and Classpass, has merged with EGYM, supplier of AI-enabled workout programmes and corporate wellness solutions, to create an expanded entity with a US$7.5 billion valuation.

The deal is expected to close in three to four months once it clears the ususal regulatory hurdles.

The transaction will include US$785 million in new equity investment led by Affinity Partners, with participation from a consortium of existing investors, including Vista Equity Partners, Temasek and L Catterton. 

The two businesses already had a number of shared backers.

Fritz Lanman, CEO of Playlist and Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, CEO of EGYM, will serve as co-founders of the newly expanded Playlist organisation. Roesch-Schlanderer will also join Monti Saroya, co-head of Vista Equity Partners’ Flagship Fund, as co-chair of Playlist.

On completion, Playlist’s brands will operate as they do currently, while EGYM will continue its operations within the Playlist portfolio.

A major driver for the deal is complementary geographies and audiences, with EGYM dominating in B2B and Playbook largely driving B2C brands.

The deal will enable EGYM to expand its fitness technology and corporate wellness offerings into Playlist’s core markets – including North America and Asia.

In turn, Playlist will be able to grow its presence in Europe through EGYM’s established footprint.

Playlist and EGYM also plan to combine their expertise to form an integrated wellness technology platform that will create new opportunities to advance in-person wellness on a global scale. Increased investment in AI will also enable health club operators run more efficiently and deepen member engagement. 

The corporate wellness market is a significant part of the vision, with EGYM's Wellpass corporate fitness platform likely to benefit from the reach offered by Classpass to grow facility inventory. 

EGYM Wellpass partners with more than 20,000 employers and tens of thousands of fitness locations worldwide. 

Lanman says this is a pivotal moment for both companies: “By combining our geographies and complementary product portfolios, we’re uniting multiple layers of wellness – software, connected hardware, consumer booking and workplace wellbeing – into one global platform,” he explained.

Roesch-Schlanderer said: “Bringing EGYM together with the newly-created Playlist represents a profound opportunity to impact lives through preventative health. 

“We're uniting smart training equipment, club and studio access, management software, corporate wellness and personalised AI training into one connected ecosystem that will finally prove and scale the true value the fitness industry delivers," he continued. "Together, we can reduce chronic disease, lower healthcare costs and make people healthier and happier by shifting the world from repair to prevention.”

Playlist and EGYM generated more than US$800 million in net revenue in 2025.

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Franchise expert Carrie Walsh joins Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa as CEO
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans to expand.
HCM Invest opens applications for pitching slots
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ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

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Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

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