The CEO of WeightWatchers, who oversaw the diet company's entry into weight-loss medications, is abruptly leaving the job

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS – AP Business Reporter

NEW YORK (AP) — WeightWatchers is shaking up its leadership.

WW International announced on Friday that CEO Sima Sistani will step down from her position with immediate effect. Tara Comonte, a WeightWatchers board member and former Shake Shack executive director, has been named interim executive director.

The New York-based weight loss company did not disclose the reasons for the abrupt move, but noted that Comonte would take on the role of CEO at a time when the company is “focused on improving its operational and financial performance.”

WeightWatchers, which was founded more than 60 years ago, has had some problems recently. Recent earnings reports showed declining profits and rising costs due to restructuring efforts. The stock has also plummeted over time. WW shares have fallen more than 90% in the last year; Now trading as a penny stock, they closed Friday at about 83 cents.

Sistani joined WeightWatchers as CEO more than two years ago. During her tenure, she led the company's recent moves into the prescription drug weight loss business – most notably with the $106 million acquisition of Sequence, now WeightWatchers Clinic, a telehealth service that helps users fill prescriptions for medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity.

Before joining WeightWatchers, Sistani co-founded Houseparty, a now-defunct social networking app that offered group video chats. In addition to serving as CEO of Houseparty, Sistani was also previously a senior executive at Epic Games.

Comonte joined the WeightWatchers board back in June 2023. Most recently, she was CEO of fertility company TMRW Life Sciences – and before that worked as president and CFO of Shake Shack. According to the company, in addition to her current position at WeightWatchers, she is also a board member of Kindbody and Strava.

In a statement, Comonte said she looks forward to working with WeightWatcher's leadership “as we advance the company's strategy to expand access and care during this critical phase of our transformation.”
Because Sistani stepped down from her board position, WeightWatchers announced it would reduce the size of the board from nine to eight members.

WeightWatchers had already reduced its board from 10 to nine members earlier this year – after former talk show host Oprah Winfrey resigned. Winfrey, who has served on WeightWatchers' board since 2015, said in February that she would resign her position and donate all of her interests to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

The move came after Winfrey told People magazine in December 2023 that she was taking a weight loss drug. At the time of her departure, the company said Winfrey aimed to “eliminate any perceived conflict of interest.”

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