Steven Ward is a man who knows the route to the top, from intern to CEO, through dedication and continued personal growth. Today, with ukactive, he’s tackling real issues that will save a population’s future by getting more people, more active, more often.

Like many children, Steve had dreams of being a professional footballer. While this didn’t work out, his huge passion for sport has stuck with him. Combined with a university degree in international policy and strategy, he’s created a specialism for sport and policy that will improve communities through communication and knowledge shares.

With over a decade of industry experience, his time at every hierarchal stage within ukactive means he knows the company inside out like no other. He was the second employee in the public affairs and policy team, which has now grown to support members in understanding the stakeholder and policy landscape, and maximise the opportunities presented by the national debate around physical activity to get more people moving.

In Steve’s own words: “ukactive provides services and facilitates partnerships for a broad range of organisations, all of which support our vision and have a role to play in achieving that goal.”

Set up in 1991 by some of the founders that went on to set up Fitness First, Esporta, LA Fitness and more, these entrepreneurs had a vision for changing the industry. 

ukactive evolved, with a mission of more people, more active, more often.

Today, as a campaigning movement it serves its 4000 members through not only creative new initiatives and innovations, but with a research team that’s bringing data to life for the benefit of everyone.

ukactive is all about building bigger partnerships, becoming a bigger influence on government, and having a bigger impact on the nation.

 

Episode Highlights -

• Ways of creating a vibrant, energetic sector that’s full of opportunity in order to give members the chance to grow.
• How ukative has grown as a movement to receive backing from a breadth of organisations that share the vision to get more people, more active, more often.
• How to decide where to start in business and where you can have the biggest impact, whether through opportunity, identity or integrity.
• Why the private sector can step up and invest in fitness across the nation, when the public sector can’t.

 

 

Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Steve Ward…