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3 Oct 2011 07:00
Fitbug Holdings Plc / Epic: FITB.L / Index: AIM / Sector: Leisure
3 October 2011
Fitbug Holdings Plc ('Fitbug' or 'the Company')
Takes Three Important Actions to Support and Accelerate US Growth
Fitbug Holdings Plc, the AIM traded provider of online personal health and well-being services, is pleased to announce that it has taken three key actions focussed on accelerating the Company's growth and sales capacity in the USA in 2012 and 2013.
Mr. Joel Barnes, a senior US healthcare industry executive, has been appointed as Senior Vice President - Sales and Business Development, Fitbug Inc. With over 20 years experience in the US healthcare sector, Mr. Barnes is a respected figure in the industry having previously worked in senior sales roles at Bupa's US Health Dialog business, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, First Health and CIGNA amongst others.
As part of a phased strategy correlated to sales, the Company has also opened a US sales and customer support office. This is based in Chicago, taking advantage of its central location which allows easy access to all regions of the US and its central time zone. The first US customer support staff have now completed training with the centre open from the start of October 2011.
A US legal entity, Fitbug Inc, has also been incorporated to enable the Company to structure its sales, administration and customer service divisions to better meet the needs of the US market and its customers.
Fitbug Executive Chairman Fergus Kee said, "The opening of a US arm marks a major milestone for Fitbug and we are delighted to have an official presence, with strong sales and customer service capability, within this compelling market. I am very pleased to welcome Joel to Fitbug and know that his experience and contacts within the US healthcare sector will be a strong asset to the Company as we look to drive US sales over the coming months."
**ENDS**
For further information visit www.fitbugholdings.com or contact:
Paul Landau | Fitbug Holdings Plc | 020 7449 1000 |
Andrew Brummer | Fitbug Holdings Plc | 020 7449 1000 |
Mark Percy | Seymour Pierce | 020 7107 8000 |
Catherine Leftley | Seymour Pierce | 020 7107 8000 |
Katie Ratner | Seymour Pierce | 020 7107 8000 |
Jon Levinson | Rivington Street Corporate Finance Limited | 020 7562 3357 |
Isabel Crossley | St Brides Media & Finance Ltd | 020 7236 1177 |
Elisabeth Cowell | St Brides Media & Finance Ltd | 020 7236 1177 |
About Fitbug
Fitbug is a leading provider of online health and well-being services to help individuals to improve their lifestyles by making realistic changes to their daily routine. It combines activity tracking devices, which download to www.fitbug.com to provide an understanding of each user's daily activity achievements, with web technology which provides users with personalised weekly activity and nutrition targets, feedback, advice and encouragement.
Key market sectors include health insurance and rewards providers, workplace health programmes, Primary Care Trusts, fitness operators and consumers. Increasingly, Fitbug's platform acts as the driving force behind third party services such as white label sites, activity driven games and challenge microsites and rewards programmes.
The Company's main focus is now on building strategic partnerships with organisations, with the United States as a key market, which can integrate Fitbug into their own service/product offerings or resell to their customer base.
Fitbug has a strong team headed by Executive Chairman Fergus Kee who was the former Managing Director of Bupa's £2.1 billion turnover UK and North American Division.
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