The American Council on Exercise has appointed Dr Cedric Bryant as its new CEO.

Bryant takes up the new position on 1 July, following on from Scott Goudeseune who has been ACE CEO for more than 15 years, overseeing significant growth.

Bryant joined ACE in 2001 and is the current president and chief science officer. He has more than 35 years in the health and fitness industry, including extensive work in exercise science and behaviour coaching and has authored more than 300 articles, co-authored or edited more than 40 books, and has been cited in multiple publications.

He has a doctorate in physiology and master’s degree in exercise science from Pennsylvania State University, where he received Pennsylvania State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest recognition presented.

Bryant is a veteran of serving on advisory committees for national and international organisations, including the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Academies for Science, Engineering and Medicine.

“I'm deeply honored to lead ACE and build on the strong foundation laid by Scott,” he said. “I look forward to advancing our mission and making a meaningful impact on public health globally.”

Committed to creating collaborative strategies, backed by science-backed education resources, to improve public health through increased movement, Bryant will be looking at ways to improve health equity during his tenure. He is a strong advocate of the ACE Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiative.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cedric as our new CEO,” said John Lally, incoming chair of the ACE board of directors. “His vision for the future of health and fitness aligns seamlessly with the values and mission of ACE. We're equally grateful that Scott will continue to lend his support and expertise to the organisation through his role as strategic advisor to the CEO.”