Former Les Mills CEO Clive Ormerod reveals new gig

Former Les Mills international CEO Clive Ormerod said he wanted to lead another Kiwi global success story. Photo / Nick Reed

Les Mills International’s former chief executive, Clive Ormerod, has found his way back to fashion, starting his new role as the first external CEO of apparel company AS Colour this week.

“I am pumped to be joining the crew and to have the opportunity to bring our vision to life: To be the global leader in blank apparel,” Ormerod wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing his new gig.

Ormerod told the Herald he had offers from other companies, but wanted to lead a global Kiwi success story.

“There is something special about joining a team forging new paths on the world stage. A Kiwi business hustling to scale globally.” His post wrote.

This role felt like he was returning to his roots, he told the Herald. Ormerod worked for Nike globally for years.

He quit Les Mills in November after six years at the global fitness business. He started there in 2018 as its chief marketing officer before rising to the top job within one year.

“It’s always tough when you’re leaving a business that you love and feel passionate about, but also at an individual level you know you can have an impact on the world [elsewhere],” Ormerod told the Herald last year.

AS Colour was founded by managing director Lawrence Railton in 2005 when his friends in a band needed plain, black T-shirts.

The business now had five distribution facilities and 25 retail locations across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and United States.

It specialised in blank apparel to be screen or digitally printed for uniforms, promotional and corporate merchandise.

It focused on quality with fit, fabric and finish its core strategic pillars. Its website read: “Our goal is to build the best blank apparel, built to last for you to place your ideas on.”

Ormerod explained the vision in his post: “Setting the bar high with quality basics; beautifully crafted products that are built to last. A blank canvas on which brands can unleash their full creativity.”

Railton still owned about 70 per cent of the business, while New Zealand private equity firm Direct Capital owned 28 per cent after investing in 2017.

“We have been impressed by AS Colour’s track record of growth, the strength of its brand, market position, and management team,” Direct Capital’s Travis Sydney said at the time.

“AS Colour has an outstanding set of growth opportunities ahead, and we look forward to applying our resources to achieving successful growth and business outcomes.”

Madison Reidy is the host of the NZ Herald’s investment show Markets with Madison. She joined the Herald in 2022 after working in investment, and has covered business and economics for television and radio broadcasters.