“Pressure is a privilege. Being able to work, to be employed, to build something, is a genuine blessing.” – Dean Ahmad
Dean Ahmad turns up early and sprightly for his Thought Leaders session, looking none the worse for wear. Sharp-dressed, at ease on camera, and fielding an impromptu interview with eloquence and clarity, the football fan shows no sign of having had little sleep—despite catching a 3am World Cup semi-final and, moments later, getting his two young children ready for the day.
“It’s all good! It is a privilege to be able to do this,” he says, radiating the kind of positivity high-performers call a ‘game face’—showing up, staying professional, and getting the job done.
We imagine that it’s the same discipline and consistency—the same ethos underpinning our personal health and wellness journeys—that Dean employs to build Ufit Health & Fitness. Together with co-founder James Forrester, they grew Ufit from a small exercise boot camp in 2009 into a leading multidisciplinary, bespoke health services provider.
Today, the company operates five Ufit Hubs across Singapore’s core business districts, offering a holistic approach to fitness that blends lifestyle philosophy, movement-based training, data-driven science, and technological innovation. Through its corporate wellness arm, Ufit also partners with businesses across the region, serving over 4,000 employees.
Dean acknowledges that Ufit’s model has since been replicated by competitors, but is quick to note that the company was a market leader when it launched in 2009. More to the point, he says, that means Ufit needs to evolve further still—not just to stay ahead of the pack, but to “offer something even more wholesome and comprehensive” to its clients.
How did you start the business?
Back in 2009, I was just doing personal training when I met my co-founder, James Forrester. James relocated here from the UK and he had a nutrition business. So, we decided to work together and build something more encompassing than what was being offered in the fitness industry at that time. Our model was the opposite of the big-box gyms, where people signed up for memberships and figured out what they wanted to do themselves. Instead, we ensured the whole journey was prescribed and tailored. We opened our first physical location on Amoy Street in 2011, starting out with a team of five. From there, our whole trajectory was about how we could offer more value—a more wholesome, holistic outcome in health and wellness for our clients.
What are some career milestones?
I stepped into the CEO role at the start of this financial year. The business has grown and I’ve had a hand in nearly every part of that build, from the first client sessions to the systems running it today. Taking over as CEO is significant. It means moving from executing someone else’s vision to setting the direction myself.
What were some of the hardest lessons you learnt in this journey?
Before COVID, I thought we were untouchable, that we’d be market leaders forever. It was a good test for us. Being a service-based company, our most important priority was making sure we took care of our own people first. At the end of the day, our team are the same people taking care of our clients. So I think the biggest lesson was: take care of your people and that will naturally be reciprocated.
What keeps you motivated on difficult days?
My twin girls are watching how I handle hard days and I want to set an example for them. Secondly, knowing I have a genuinely capable team who will go through the thick and thin with me. When you have people willing to go the distance alongside you, you never want to let them down.
What’s one piece of advice you always return to?
Pressure is a privilege. Being able to work, to be employed, to build something, is a genuine blessing, even though it doesn’t always feel that way. I remind myself often to have gratitude for the position I’m in and for the chance to affect real change.
Photography by Eugene Lee of Enfinite / Hair & Makeup by Sveta Klyn of Suburbs Studio
