BOSTON, MA—September 19, 2023—IHRSA—the Health & Fitness Association, a global community of health and fitness industry leaders—has announced three keynotes for its 20th IHRSA European Congress 17-19 October at the Lisbon Congress Centre in Lisbon, Portugal.
Peter Cohen, author, performance coach, and human behavior expert, and Michelle King, co-CEO and founder of The Culture Practice, are two of the keynotes.
The third keynote is a Fireside Chat with four industry leaders sharing European fitness trends and opportunities.
“At this year’s Congress, we are going to focus on performance—that of individual leaders and teams—while also giving voice to European leaders to share how today’s trends are affecting European businesses,” said Florian Cartoux, IHRSA Europe director. “It’s an honor to bring such wealth of knowledge to the health club and studio leaders who will be in attendance.”
Peter will open the day on 18 October with his keynote, From Good to Great to Exceptional, sponsored by Perfect Gym. The former personal trainer and coach to world-class sporting stars will help attendees identify what their ideal future self and business looks like by:
setting achievable measures to accomplish goals,
identifying what is holding them back in achieving their next great milestone, and
building a mindset of achievement and innovation.
Michelle, who focuses on inequality and organizational culture, will close the day on 19 October with her keynote, Unlocking Trust: Creating High Performing Teams and Effective Leaders. In her presentation, sponsored by Lacertosus, she will share why building trust is key to creating high-performing teams and effective leaders, plus insights from her latest book, How Work Works: the Subtle Science of Getting Ahead Without Losing Yourself.
On 18 October, the Fireside Chat, Around Europe in 60 Minutes: European Trends and Opportunities, sponsored by Freemotion, will delve into unique challenges and trends in European countries, offering data and insights on the impacts to the club and studio market.
Dag Lee, chairman and director for Nile HQ and board member for Armah Sports Company and Aktiv 365/Family Sports Club, will moderate the chat.
Panelists include:
- Henrik Gockel, founder and managing director, PRIME TIME fitness
- Morten Hellevang, CEO, Evo
- Catia Velez, owner and manager, 100%fitclub
- Barry Walsh, CEO, Iconic Health Clubs
Portugal Activo is the local host partner of this year’s IHRSA European Congress.
“We would like to thank Portugal Activo for all of their work on this year’s Congress,” said Alison O’Kane Giannaras, IHRSA associate vice president of international operations. “With their insights and expertise, we were able to put together one of our best programs yet with plenty of opportunities to network and exchange ideas.”
The event concludes on 20 October with tours of four of Lisbon's top health clubs: GO fit, Holmes Place, Joaquim Chaves Fitness, and The Code. The tours are optional, have limited spaces available, and require an additional fee during registration.
For full program details and registration information, visit ihrsa.org/congress.
About IHRSA
IHRSA—the Health & Fitness Association, a global community of health and fitness industry leaders—is a not-for-profit trade association representing the global fitness industry of over 200,000 health and fitness facilities and their suppliers. Founded in 1981, IHRSA maintains a leadership role in advancing physical activity, which is critical for peak health and to fight the battle against obesity and chronic lifestyle diseases.
As the world's leading authority on the commercial health and fitness club industry, IHRSA’s mission is to grow, promote, and protect the health and fitness industry, while providing its members with benefits and resources. IHRSA is the publisher of Club Business International, the leading monthly magazine for the global fitness industry. IHRSA's Convention & Trade Show will be hosted from March 6-8, 2024, in Los Angeles.
