h%20text.jpg)
Ben Francis MBE, born on 4 June 1992 in Bromsgrove, England, is a British businessperson who helped launch the active-wear label Gymshark in 2012. Starting the label in his parents’ garage, he handled everything from sewing garments to sending them out to early customers.
Today he remains Gymshark’s chief executive and still owns more than 70 percent of the company, which has grown into an internationally recognised name for workout clothing and accessories.
In April 2023 he entered Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires for the first time, reflecting the rapid rise and global success of the brand he built
Also Read: Manjeet Singh Sangha AKA Official Rich Teen: Biography, Net Worth & More (2025)
Ben Francis Background
Benjamin David Francis was born in 1992 in the West Midlands, England, and raised in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. He studied at South Bromsgrove High School. His interest in computers began when he took IT classes during school.
His first attempt at business was selling car number plates online. Francis also started going to the gym during. He later shared that the discipline and routine he learned from working out helped him improve other parts of his life.
In 2010, he joined Aston University to study international business and management, which gave him a solid base to start his own company. However, he left university in 2012.
Also Read: Kamil Sattar Also Known As (ECOM KING): Biography, Net Worth & More 2025
Ben Francis Personal Life
Francis enjoys cars and motorcycles, and he regularly supports Aston Villa as a season ticket holder. In April 2021, he proposed his partner, Robin Gallant, and they tied the knot on September 9th later that year.
On 8 September 2022, Francis shared that they were going to have twins. Their twin boys were born on 24 December 2022. Later, in July 2024, the couple revealed they were expecting another baby.
Also Read: How Iman Gadhzi Became Successful, Biography, Lifestyle & Net Worth
Career & GymShark
Before starting Gymshark, Ben Francis created two fitness apps called Fat Loss Abs Guide and iPhysique. While studying at university from 2010 to 2013, he also worked part-time as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut, earning £5 per hour. He left that job six months after Gymshark began.
In 2012, at the age of 19, Francis launched Gymshark from his parents' garage with his school friend Lewis Morgan. At first, the website sold fitness supplements. Since he didn’t have enough money to buy stock or make supplier deals, he used a dropshipping method to sell products from other companies.
It took about six weeks before his first sale happened.
In 2013, he decided to shift Gymshark’s focus to fitness clothing. He began designing and making the gear himself, sewing in his family garage using equipment he bought for £1,000. His grandmother taught him how to sew.
In that same year, Francis displayed Gymshark’s clothing line at the BodyPower fitness expo held in Birmingham. After the event, a tracksuit design went viral on Facebook, bringing in £30,000 in just 30 minutes. Because of this success, he decided to leave university and his job at Pizza Hut to focus entirely on Gymshark.
Francis promoted Gymshark by teaming up with fitness influencers on social media, including Nikki Blackketter and Lex Griffin. Gymshark was among the early brands to expand rapidly by using influencer marketing.
In 2015, he stepped down as CEO to focus on other areas of the company, taking roles in marketing, branding, and product development. He said the change would help the business grow faster and give him time to improve his own skills.
By 2018, Gymshark had a new £5 million headquarters in Solihull, West Midlands. In 2019, Gymshark opened a gym and innovation center of its own. Since 2016, it has appeared on The Sunday Times Fast Track list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the UK.
Over the years, Francis has earned several honors. In 2018, he was named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. A year later, he joined the UK Government’s Business Council for Entrepreneurs.
Today, the brand sells products in over 130 countries.
In August 2020, a U.S. private equity firm called General Atlantic bought a 21% share in Gymshark, putting the company's value at more than £1 billion.
Francis still owns over 70% of the business, which makes his share worth around £700 million. He returned as CEO in August 2021.
In 2020, he won the EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year award. In 2023, he received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in recognition of his work in business.
Also Read: How Sebastian Ghiorghiu Became Rich
Benjamin David Net Worth
As of May 2025, Ben Francis, the founder and CEO of Gymshark, has an estimated net worth of around $1.4 billion USD, according to Forbes. He owns over 70% of Gymshark, which plays a big role in his wealth.
Francis started Gymshark in 2012 from his parents’ garage, and it has now grown into a popular fitness brand known worldwide.
In 2020, A U.S. investment company named General Atlantic purchased 21% of Gymshark, placing the company’s value at over £1 billion. This deal helped push Francis onto Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires in 2023.
Aside from his financial success, Ben Francis was also honored with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2023 for his contributions to business.
Benjamin David Social Media
Instagram: @benfrancis
Youtube: @BenFrancis
Tiktok: @benfrancis
Linkedin: @Benfrancis
X: @BenFrancis1992
