Gymshark head honcho Ben Francis pays tribute to CTO John Douglas as tech veteran opts to retire
Yesterday, we reported that Shaun Perkinson had joined Gymshark as its new Chief Technology Officer. He takes over from John Douglas who is entering the world of retirement.
In a LinkedIn post, Ben Francis, CEO and Founder at Gymshark, said: “Five years ago, John Douglas joined Gymshark to help us build the technology needed for our next stage of growth. Now, after an incredible career in technology, he's made the decision to retire. I can honestly say we wouldn't be where we are today without him.”
He added: “When John joined Gymshark, we were entering a pivotal stage in our journey. Over the last five years, he's led our technology function through some of the biggest moments in our growth. He's helped us scale, navigate complex challenges and set us up for the future, always bringing incredible experience, humility and calmness along the way. But what I'll remember most isn't what John built. It's the way he led. More than anything, John has made the people around him better. He's shared his experience generously, supported so many people across the business and left a lasting mark on our teams and our culture.”
Francis concluded: “John, thank you for everything you've done for Gymshark. Thank you for your leadership, your wisdom and the example you've set for all of us. I'm incredibly grateful for everything you've given this business and everyone in it. Wishing you nothing but happiness in this next chapter. You've more than earned it.”
Prior to Gymshark, Douglas was CTO at Tory Burch. His CV also includes stints at Burberry and MCM Fashion Group.
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
The work of CTOs will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
