Our Corporate team has advised the founders of LEAP Academy (siblings Mitch and Talilla Henchoz) on its acquisition by QPE-backed online education business learndirect.

LEAP Academy, itself already a leading provider of accredited online qualifications in personal training and nutrition, will now form an integral part of learndirect's newly created 'health and fitness faculty'.

The Gowling WLG legal team advising the founders was led by principal associate Chris Letters with support from corporate partner Jeremy Millington, associate Annabel Brown and trainee solicitor Tonia Magda. Senior associate Kiran Gosal advised on employment matters.

Mitch Henchoz, co-founder and chief executive officer at LEAP Academy, said:

"We are very excited to be joining learndirect's leading health and fitness faculty. learndirect are the market leaders in online education and their expertise will be invaluable for the next stage of LEAP's growth. As part of the learndirect Digital Group we will have the resources to expand our course range and provide high-quality education to even more students.

"Chris and the rest of the Gowling WLG team provided invaluable support and advice throughout, in distilling the complicated and making the legal process as painless as possible".

Commenting, Chris Letters said:

"It has been fantastic to support Mitch and Talilla on their tie-up with learndirect – they have already achieved so much since their launch of LEAP in January 2022, and we are excited to see what LEAP will become with the platform that it will now have".