Pioneering strength training company taps seasoned executive to lead next phase of growth

Tonal, the industry’s most advanced strength training system and a pioneer of personalized fitness technology, today announced the appointment of Darren MacDonald as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of Tonal’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Krystal Zell, who has served as CEO since January 2023, has decided to step down for personal reasons. During her tenure, Krystal raised $130M of funding for Tonal, achieved key financial and operating milestones, maintained industry leading retention rates, and developed new product roadmaps, including Tonal’s exciting new AI offerings driving cutting edge personalization in strength training.

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Tonal CEO Darren MacDonald (Photo: Business Wire)

Darren, previously Chief Customer Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Petco, brings over 20 years of global digital strategy and business development experience to his new role as CEO of Tonal. He has driven monumental growth across the retail sector, including managing Walmart’s multi-billion dollar US e-commerce entertainment business and holding senior leadership positions at Jet.com, IAC, and Avery Dennison. With Darren at the helm, Tonal is poised to redefine the future of smart home fitness, accelerating its growth trajectory and solidifying its position as a leader in the industry.

“As a huge fan who uses Tonal myself, I know firsthand the unique value our product brings to people’s lives,” said Darren MacDonald. “I’m excited to work with such a talented team at Tonal. We’ve set the bar high by being the first to offer truly personalized strength training technology, and I’m eager to push our offerings even further. Together, we’ll continue to empower people everywhere with the best strength training experience possible.”

“Krystal's exceptional leadership has positioned Tonal for continued success, and on behalf of its employees and investors, we are thankful for her many contributions,” said Jack Lazar, Chairman of the Tonal Board. “As we embark on this new chapter, we are excited to welcome Darren and his impressive background in retail strategy and consumer-driven growth, which we believe will propel Tonal to new heights in market share, member loyalty, and product development.”

“It has been a privilege to lead Tonal through such a pivotal period in its history,” said Krystal Zell. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together—from transforming our financial grounding while growing our membership with a focus on experience innovation. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated employees and supportive investors. I am confident that Darren’s passion for innovation and commitment to our members will continue to propel Tonal forward.”

Stay connected with us to see how Tonal will redefine strength training and empower even more people to achieve their fitness goals. Visit tonal.com to learn more about the company’s latest updates and developments.

About Tonal

Tonal is the most intelligent home gym and the first truly personalized approach to strength training. Since its inception in 2015, Tonal has been transforming the fitness industry with intelligent features, including adaptive digital weight that learns from the user for a more personalized, full-body workout. Tonal combines world-class data science, computer vision, AI and instructor-led content. To help members push past plateaus and achieve results, Tonal offers more than three thousand coach-led, on-demand, and live workouts across a number of fitness categories, including strength training, cardio, yoga, HIIT, mobility, and more. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California. www.tonal.com | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

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