Horizon Leisure’s ‘new look’ senior leadership team

Horizon Leisure has made a number of senior leadership appointments including its CEO, a new Commercial Director and a new Marketing Lead.

The award-winning, not-for-profit organisation, operating both Havant and Waterlooville Leisure Centres on behalf of Havant Borough Council, sees these new appointments as a strategic springboard to the charitable group’s long-term strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the South of England.

Mike Lyons, the new CEO, is responsible for the strategic leadership of the organisation and delivery of Horizon’s ambitious five-year plan. He will be working with colleagues in the senior team, as well as the Board of Trustees, stakeholders, and strategic partners including the local council, to facilitate key projects that ensure Horizon Leisure continually moves forward, maintaining its standing as the key health and wellbeing provider in the community.

Lyons has extensive experience of the leisure, culture, hospitality, events and retirement sectors, having spent his career previously working for BH Live, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust as well as the Affordable Housing and Healthcare Group. He held several key roles including Director of Sport and Leisure, Operations Director and his in his last position Managing Director within the Health Care Sector.

Lyons says: “I am hugely passionate about working in a strategic role focused on improving the health of our community. At Horizon, we deliver a wide range of activities suitable for all ages and ability levels.  Horizon is a great organisation to be a part of; we continuously innovate and push boundaries. Already operating two well established leisure facilities, our aim is to expand the reach into communities locally and regionally. This underpins our future vision for the organisation. Recent appointments to the Senior Leadership Team will help us greatly to deliver our ambitious goals for the future.”

Scott Mackenzie has joined the group as Commercial Director and has a rich heritage in leisure. This includes significant experience working for David Lloyd Clubs as a General Manager and Fitness First as a Regional Experience Manager. In his new role, Mackenzie will be responsible for facility operations, member experience and product strategy.

Alexandra Pinhorn is the latest appointment, joining Horizon Leisure to build and deliver an in-house marketing and communications strategy.  Pinhorn has broad experience in marketing and public relations, having formally worked at boxChilli as a PR and Marketing Director and as Account Director for Magellan PR, where she worked on brands including Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, London Bridge Hotel and Bicester Performance Gym.

Lyons concludes: “The leisure sector currently faces many challenges, but the hard work and resilience of our dedicated and passionate team means Horizon Leisure is now well positioned to continue to move forward and drive further growth. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to lead the charity into its next exciting chapter.”