Les Mills, the New Zealand Olympian and founder of the fitness brand that bears his name, has died at age 91. Multiple reports say Mills competed at the Olympics and later helped build a gym business that began in Auckland. ABC Australia and other outlets report that he opened a gym in Auckland in 1968, which expanded into an international group fitness organization known worldwide.
Several sources also describe Mills’ involvement in public life in Auckland. The Independent says he served three terms as mayor of Auckland, after his sports career and business growth. The New York Times likewise describes how a small Auckland gym grew into a worldwide chain.
While details of his later years are limited across the articles provided, the coverage is consistent in crediting Mills with combining an Olympic career, local entrepreneurship in Auckland starting in the late 1960s, and the subsequent development of a global fitness brand.
