Sam Renouf joins the PTO as the project tries to buy IRONMAN

In September 2019 the Professional Triathletes Organisation appointed Sam Renouf as CEO and proposed opening talks with Wanda Sports to acquire IRONMAN and its mass-participation assets.

Renouf understood both sides of the sport. He had raced as an elite British triathlete before working at ACTIVE Network and leading MOTIV Group. He arrived with experience in entries, events and mass participation as well as professional sport.

Wanda declined to open a sale process. A later PTO letter confirms that the initial approach was sent on 20 September 2019 and that Wanda was not prepared to discuss a sale.

The acquisition never happened. But the episode showed that PTO no longer wanted only to advocate for professionals: it wanted to participate directly in the business of major events.

In simple terms: Renouf is the executive leading the project. He is not the fund providing the capital and he is not the sole owner of PTO.