Mark Smith

20% owner of Gemm Learning

Mark has a BCA degree from Victoria University, Auckland, New Zealand and was reputed to be the youngest CA at the time in NZ after leaving school at the end of the 6th form and completing his degree in three years.

He was a New Zealand Squash representative at under 23 level.

Mark left New Zealand in 1986 when he was seconded by his employer, Coopers Lybrand, to an auditor's position in London.  After a transfer to New York Mark left Coopers Lybrand to take up a club manager position with Town Sports International a company that operated fitness/racquetball centers in New York.  Mark was appointed Vice President Development in 1988 and through to 1995 was instrumental in the growth of the business from 10 to 38 clubs operating in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Switzerland.

In 1995 Mark was appointed CEO and a year later was instrumental in organizing a management buyout of the business which grew to 140 clubs in the subsequent 10 year period.  Mark was later appointed chairman of the company.  Mark left TSI in 2006 to pursue private interests and at that time had grown the company to a turnover of over US$400 million and a EBITDA of over US$100 million, 400,000 members and over 7,500 employees.  Shortly after Mark left the company it was listed on the NASDAQ, and was the third biggest health and fitness company in the US.

Mark is a close personal friend of Geoff Nixon and has been a shareholder and actively involved in Gemm since 2007.  He is married, with three young children and currently resides in New Zealand.