Corepower Yoga Makes Ceo Change, Signals Studio Growth Push

Dan Lynn, a former C-Suite executive for a restaurant conglomerate, replaces Niki Leondakis, who is retiring from the yoga studio giant

CorePower Yoga has named Dan Lynn as its chief executive officer, bringing in a restaurant industry operator to lead the yoga studio brand.

Lynn, who most recently served as chief commercial and restaurant officer at Inspire Brands, the conglomerate behind Arby’s, Dunkin’, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s, Baskin-Robbins and Sonic, takes over the 220-plus-location yoga chain on Monday.

He replaces Niki Leondakis, a yoga devotee who retires after six years running CorePower and once served as CEO of Equinox. She will retain her seat on CorePower’s board of directors, the company said.

“Leading CorePower Yoga has been the privilege of my career,” Leondakis said. “I’m incredibly proud of what this community has built together and excited for what lies ahead.”

Lynn stood out immediately during the executive search, she added.

“I could not be more confident in his ability to guide CorePower into its next chapter,” Leondakis said.

In addition to his Inspire Brands tenure, Lynn has a strong foundation in hospitality. He co-founded Zuzu Hospitality, a tech platform serving independent hotels in Asia, and has held senior leadership roles at Expedia Group, AirAsia Expedia and VRBO.

“What drew me to this opportunity was the incredible community that Niki and the team have built, and the profound impact CorePower has on people’s lives every day,” Lynn said. “I’m honored to join this next chapter and excited to listen, learn and build alongside this community as we accelerate our studio growth.”

Though CorePower once franchised its model, the majority of its locations are now corporate-owned, Athletech News has learned.

According to its website, 20 studios are in development, with locations slated across major metropolitan markets, including New York City and Long Island, Miami, Charlotte, Dallas, Austin, Washington D.C., Boston, Nashville and Long Beach. The brand offers six in-studio classes spanning strength training, heated flows and restorative work as well as an extensive collection of on-demand classes.

Though Pilates has dominated headlines and class bookings, yoga’s endurance in the fitness industry can’t be underestimated, particularly as more consumers gravitate toward soft fitness, where longevity and community-based fitness are experiencing an upswing.

CorePower has moved accordingly and remained on-trend. Earlier this year, the brand partnered with red light therapy leader HigherDose to install near-infrared and red light LED panels in select studios, offering dedicated red light classes. The brand also partnered with smart ring maker Oura to bring biometric tracking to members that informs class recommendations.

Lynn’s hiring fits a pattern fitness operators have begun to favor, selecting leaders with expertise in scaling and pulled straight from the restaurant industry.

Vasa Fitness appointed Michael Osanloo as CEO in March, recruiting the former president and CEO of Portillo’s, while Crunch Fitness promoted Chequan Lewis to the top job after he joined the brand in 2024 from Pizza Hut. And Solidcore, the boutique Pilates-inspired brand, is led by Bryan Myers, whose previous role was chief operating officer at fast-casual restaurant Sweetgreen.

CorePower has navigated labor pressure in recent months. Earlier this year, workers publicly called for strikes on social media over pay and scheduling concerns, prompting the company to announce a 29% average wage increase for instructors in March.