Retail

Peloton brings in Ford exec who helped create Apple Fitness+ to lead its turnaround effort

Woman working out on a Peloton bike with a yellow line going up and down.
Peloton has named a new CEO. Business Insider
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Peloton has announced a new CEO to lead its turnaround effort.

The struggling fitness company said Thursday that Peter Stern, currently president of Ford Integrated Services will be taking the helm on January 1.

Before joining Ford last year, Stern worked for more than six years at Apple, where he led the growth of the company's subscription services businesses, like Apple TV+, News+, and Fitness+.

At Ford, Stern was in charge of shaping user experiences for the car company's increasingly tech-enabled vehicles.

Peloton, which became a pandemic success story when consumers were stuck at home, has struggled in recent years as demand for its products has slipped.

Its stock price peaked at the end of 2020 when sales surged but rapidly declined in 2021 as its supply chain came under pressure, the pandemic-fueled rush for its products began to wear off, and it faced a high-profile product recall damaging brand image.

The company has since laid off workers as part of restructuring efforts and saw its cofounder John Foley step down as CEO to be replaced by Barry McCarthy, who also departed in May this year.

Peloton's stock price was up 17% in early trading on Thursday.

"Working for Peloton is a dream come true for me," Stern said. "My goal is to help millions of people live longer, healthier and happier lives. Peloton, with its unique combination of people, products and passionate Members, provides me an opportunity to do just that."

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Mary Hanbury
Mary was an editor on the business news team, where she worked with reporters and editors to cover sectors including technology, finance, transportation, retail, careers, and real estate.Previously, Mary was a senior retail reporter based in New York and London, covering apparel, luxury, fitness, big-box, and grocery companies. She has reported on major brands including Victoria’s Secret, Lululemon, LVMH, Costco, Dollar General, and Peloton, providing in-depth analysis of trends shaping the industry.Mary earned a master’s degree in Business Journalism from CUNY Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. She has appeared on several TV and radio outlets, including BBC Business, Cheddar, and Good Morning America, and has taken part in industry panels and conferences about trends shaping the retail world.
Dominick Reuter
Dominick Reuter
Dominick Reuter is a senior retail reporter for Business Insider, primarily covering Walmart, Target, and Costco. His stories tend to focus on issues and trends that affect employees and customers.Prior to joining BI in 2019, Dominick worked for more than a decade as an independent photojournalist covering a wide range of stories for global wire services and newspapers, including Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and Agence France-Presse.Dominick studied photojournalism at Boston University and later earned a Masters in business and economics journalism from Columbia University.If you're an employee or customer with a story to share, please contact me via email or text/call/Signal at 646-768-4750.