WeightWatchers names SoulCycle co-founder Julie Rice as chief experience officer

NEW YORK - WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ:WW), known as WeightWatchers, announced Thursday the appointment of Julie Rice as Chief Experience Officer. Rice, a co-founder of SoulCycle and longtime WeightWatchers board member, will lead the transformation of the company’s global workshop business, which currently hosts 20,000 monthly meetings across 11 markets. The appointment comes as WW maintains impressive gross profit margins of 69%, according to InvestingPro data, despite recent industry challenges.

In this newly created position, Rice will oversee the revitalization of WeightWatchers’ community approach to weight management, working with the company’s science, nutrition, and medical teams. She will also lead the brand team responsible for content, creative, and communications.

The company’s strategic focus on community comes amid strong market performance, with the stock delivering a 52% return over the past six months. "Community has always been at the heart of WeightWatchers. It’s where the brand began, and it remains one of the most effective drivers of lasting success," said Tara Comonte, Chief Executive Officer of WeightWatchers, in a press release statement. InvestingPro analysis reveals 8 additional key insights about WW’s financial health and market position.

Rice, who served on WeightWatchers’ board for over seven years, will bring experience from her most recent venture, Peoplehood, a community-driven wellness support platform. As part of the transition, Peoplehood will integrate its operations into WeightWatchers, including its curriculum, technology, and learnings.

The integration aims to strengthen WeightWatchers’ position as a weight health platform that combines clinical support, behavioral science, and community engagement. The company plans to roll out community-based programs focused on education, accountability, and behavioral change.

Research published in JAMA Network Open found that WeightWatchers workshop members lose twice as much weight as those who try to lose weight independently, according to the company.

Rice, who first joined WeightWatchers as a member in her twenties, described the appointment as a "full-circle moment" and expressed her commitment to reimagining weight health in today’s environment.

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