After 12 years of transformative leadership, Andrew Messick has announced he will be retiring in 2023 from his position of President & Chief Executive Officer for The IRONMAN Group. Messick will remain a stakeholder and member of the Board of Directors following the recruitment and appointment of a new CEO.
“Being the CEO of The IRONMAN Group has been the professional honor of my life – the most meaningful and purposeful work experience I have had – and I am filled with gratitude for the support of my team members, our partners, and the athlete community over the past 12 years,” said Messick. “I have given all I have to this job and my life has been enriched by the opportunity to build incredible events, meet athlete community members from all over the world, and lead an incredibly dedicated group of colleagues.”
Messick joined The IRONMAN Group in 2011 and led the transition of the organization from a triathlon brand to the world’s largest organizer of mass participation events with a compelling portfolio of hundreds of events annually across more than 50 countries in triathlon, running, trail-running, road cycling, and mountain biking, while also adding digital training platforms and programs for athletes. Key brands acquired or developed alongside the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon series include the UTMB® World Series, Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series, Epic Series of mountain biking events anchored by the Absa Cape Epic, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™, and FulGaz® virtual cycling digital platform. Throughout his tenure, Messick has tasked his team with creating and delivering opportunities for individuals around the world to experience the life-changing benefits of endurance sports.
Messick continued, “I am proud of the organization we have built with senior leaders and a global team of dedicated individuals who have been the backbone of our success. Combined with a supportive long-term focused ownership group in Advance and Orkila Capital, and a passionate base of athletes, the company is well positioned for the future.”
“Andrew and I first bonded 15 years ago over our shared love for IRONMAN and have worked together since 2011,” said Jesse Du Bey, Managing Partner for Orkila Capital. “It has been amazing to watch the business transform under his leadership. He has been a powerful force in growing The IRONMAN Group – endurance sport, and particularly triathlon – all over the world. We are all grateful for his service to the sport and look forward to his next chapter as a member of the Board.”
“Our partnership with Andrew and confidence in his leadership were critical to Advance’s decision in March of 2020 to acquire The IRONMAN Group while an unprecedented and unpredictable pandemic disruption to the live events industry was well underway,” said Janine Shelffo, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at Advance. “It is thanks to his steady stewardship that The IRONMAN Group has emerged from that disruption well poised to capitalize on the tremendous long-term opportunities we see ahead. I am grateful for his dedication and his longstanding commitment to inspiring athletes worldwide.”
Prior to joining The IRONMAN Group in 2011, Messick served as President of AEG Sports where he played a leading role for its sports teams and properties, including the Amgen Tour of California, Bay to Breakers foot race, Euroleague Basketball, and AEG China. Prior to that, Messick was the Senior Vice President, International for the National Basketball Association where he was responsible for overseeing the NBA’s network of international offices and for leading the NBA’s efforts to globalize.
Messick’s love for endurance sports played a key role in his decision to join The IRONMAN Group as CEO in 2011 and he has been a fixture over the past 12 years at hundreds of events all over the world. Andrew has completed four IRONMAN® triathlons and dozens of IRONMAN® 70.3® events, including the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship; has completed all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors; is an OCC Finisher of UTMB Mont-Blanc; and has competed in cycling events around the world including multiple Haute Route events.
Messick concluded, “Leaving this leadership role with IRONMAN is difficult, as my love for this company runs deep. I did my first IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlons nearly two decades ago, long before I had any affiliation with the organization. What I have learned and seen at the races have been some of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I have always been a true believer in the life-changing nature of our races, our mission, and our brand.”