1Fit CEO leaves role following unsuccessful global expansion
Murat Alikhanov, co-founder of the fitness startup 1Fit — which offers services through a single-membership model across various fitness centers — has stepped down as the company’s CEO, he announced on Instagram.
«After seven years, I’m leaving my role as CEO of 1Fit. I remain a shareholder,» Alikhanov wrote in his Instagram Stories.
The businessman stated that he would take a break to rest and recover before embarking on major new projects.
In recent years, 1Fit has faced multiple setbacks in international markets. In late April, the startup announced it was shutting down operations in Mexico, citing «significant financial difficulties.»
A month and a half later, the company exited the Malaysian market, citing similar reasons — financial constraints. In 2023, 1Fit wound down its U.K. project after six months of operation, incurring losses of 50 million tenge (approximately $92,523). In 2022, the startup withdrew from the Russian market.
In June, Alikhanov told Kursiv.media that the company would focus on the Central Asian market, where it already has a strong presence.
According to Forbes Kazakhstan, 1Fit generated $20.2 million in revenue in 2023. In 2020, Alikhanov was named to Forbes Kazakhstan’s 30 Under 30 list.
