Alliance Leisure makes new board appointment

MARKETING specialist John Leaver has been promoted to Alliance Leisure’s Development Board as the company strengthens its leadership to deliver in excess of £500m of leisure projects across the UK.

Promoted from head of marketing, John’s new role as marketing and framework director will see him work alongside fellow directors Sarah Watts, Paul Cluett, Tom Fairey, James Foley and Paul Woodford to position the business as the UK’s leading leisure development partner.

His new position leads to a change in title for Paul Woodford who assumes the role of strategic engagement director. In his new role, John will drive the marketing strategy to ensure the continued growth of Alliance, which has delivered 220 developments to date representing more than £300m of investment in local authority leisure facilities.

John said: “Having worked for Alliance for 17 years, I sometimes feel like a stick of Blackpool rock – if you cut me in half you’d see Alliance running through me.

“Our services have evolved over the years, but the core of Alliance remains the same – to deliver innovative buildings and environments that promote physical activity, are relevant to the audiences they serve and ultimately deliver maximum benefits to partners, clients and the public.”

John joined the business in 2006 as an account manager following a successful career in both public and private leisure.

As head of Alliance Digital he spearheaded the digital transformation of the company, and in 2018 he and strategic engagement director Paul Woodford established TA6, Alliance Leisure’s results-driven, marketing and training brand providing sales, marketing and retention services to leisure operators.

The TA6 brand has gone from strength to strength and now primarily supports Alliance Leisure projects through a range of services including feasibility, branding, customer engagement, launch campaigns, impact sales and people development. Maximising on the success of the UK Leisure Framework is core to hiss new role. Working with Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, the UKLF has the potential to deliver up to £2bn of leisure projects across the UK.

Sarah Watts, CEO of Alliance Leisure, added: “Succession planning is critical as Alliance Leisure continues to evolve. John’s expertise and 17 years of service will be a valuable addition to the board as we take the business forward to ensure strong continued growth.

“The timing is absolutely right for this appointment; John brings a different set of skills and management style to the board that will strengthen the organisation at all levels.”

In 2022 John implemented Alliance Leisure’s new wellbeing strategy, which will further align the company’s vision and values with its wellbeing agenda to promote the health and wellbeing of the team, which has grown five-fold in the last five years.

Initiatives so far have included a new employment assistance programme to support colleagues with their mental health alongside move challenges to encourage physical activity.