Premier Training International has appointed Mark Botha as the new global sales and marketing director.

Botha joins Premier from Leisure Connection, where he has worked as the company's sales and marketing director since January 2006.

At Leisure Connection, Botha has been credited with transforming the performance of the Harper's fitness clubs arm by increasing personal training to £750 000 per year and seeing fitness and swimming memberships grow by 21 per cent in 2006, Botha has also previously worked for Fitness First, where he spent five years.

At Premier, Botha will be responsible for all areas of sales and marketing. One of his main tasks will be to drive forward of the organisation's business-to-business and international training division using the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) training resources and tools.

Premier Training has a turnover of around £9m and the company currently employs 150 people, with sites in 18 locations across the UK.