Nick Burrows has left his role as managing director of health and fitness group Nuffield Health to set up his own leisure branding company.

Burrows has joined forces with brand designer Simon Coker to set up the new venture, called Brand Spirit.

Speaking to Leisure Opportunities Burrows said the new company will look to "treat internal and external brand building as a connected process".

He said: "Few organizations truly grasp the power of their brand.

"That's where Brand Spirit comes in. We ignite, mobilize and transform performance by putting brand right at the core."

Burrows previously worked with Coker during his time at leisure giant Whitbread, where the pair created the branding for the Table Table and Taybarns pub restaurants.

Coker added "Brand Spirit is a blend of business experience and branding expertise. We've been on both sides of the fence, coming up with the ideas and delivering them to market too. We feel that our means of internally and externally developing brands as a seamless process is unique and potent."

Leisure Opportunities first covered Burrows' departure and future plans in October 2010 (read story by clicking here).