Global Health & Fitness Alliance Advisory Council Elects New Chair

The Global Health & Fitness Alliance (GHFA) is delighted to announce the election of Andrea Bell as the new Chair and Richard Beddie as Vice Chair of the GHFA Advisory Council as it ramps up its efforts to establish the health and fitness sector as an essential service and key contributor within the healthcare continuum. Andrea and Richard take up their new positions on April 1, 2022.

Andrea Bell is the co-founder, director, and chief people officer of Inspire Brands Asia, the consortium that owns the master franchise license for Anytime Fitness Asia. Having started with Anytime Fitness as a franchisee seven years ago, Andrea is now a people-focused leader who focuses on culture and building and retaining an exceptional team.

Richard Beddie is the CEO of Exercise New Zealand and board chief of staff for the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals (ICREPs). Previously a multi-club owner, Richard also has extensive governance experience in global exercise and recreation bodies and a passion for collaboration to get more people physically active through exercise.

Get to Know the Rest of the GHFA Advisory Council

This group of industry veterans brings experience and passion that will assist the GHFA in its mission to advocate to the WHO, OECD, UNESCO, and other UN and international organizations, raising the credibility and recognition of the health and fitness sector as an essential service and key contributor within the healthcare continuum, and in turn, influence the agendas of national governments.

Greg Oliver was the inaugural GHFA Advisory Chair who led some excellent achievements over the past year. Greg continues as an invaluable council member. He is currently the CEO and Managing Director of APAC’s Fitness & Lifestyle Group and is the founder of Debit Success, one of ANZ’s largest membership, billing, and software services. From owning and managing multi-club gym chains and corporate health businesses to handling significant mergers and acquisitions, Greg has a fitness career spanning 40 years. Current board positions include Fitness Australia, Fitness & Lifestyle Group, and its subsidiaries.

Gigliola Aycardi is the co-founder and executive vice president of Bodytech Corporation, the second-largest gym company in Latin America and 22nd-largest in the global fitness industry. An entrepreneur by nature, active person, and a former industrial engineer, Gigliola is decorated with awards and recognitions for her leadership, perseverance, and efforts to grow and promote the fitness industry.

Anna Henwood is the chief marketing officer at Les Mills International. Her passion and knowledge in brand strategy and data-driven marketing helps drive the global fitness company towards its vision of a fitter planet. As well as championing an active lifestyle, Anna is a proud advocate for female leadership and creating action around diversity and inclusion.

Brian Morris is the founder and CEO of the Aspria Group, a collection of large, premium, award-winning well-being clubs, spas, and hotels across Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Under Brian's leadership, a philosophy of ‘Life, Lived Well’ underpins the efforts of 500 professionals who look after the holistic health of Aspria members aged three months to 99 years.

Justin Musgrove is the current CEO of Kun Real Estate, a new leisure and hospitality company centered on creating one of the world’s most revered lifestyle brands. Justin was formerly CEO of Leejam, the largest gym chain in the Middle East, and before that, CEO of the Bannatyne Group in the UK operating gyms, spas, and hotels.

Emmett Williams is a partner in the wearable technology company, Myzone. Emmett has worked throughout the industry in multiple regions of the world, recently returning to Australia after 10 years in the United States. Inducted onto Fitness Australia’s ‘Roll of Honor’ for excellence in leadership, he currently sits on IHRSA’s Fitness Industry Partners Council.

Anastasia Yusina is the president of Strata Fitness Holding and founder of Orange Fitness, City Fitness, and FITSPACE Boutique Fitness, whose club brands span from Moscow to Florida. Anastasia graduated from Moscow University, Paris Institute of Political Sciences, and Moscow International Relations Institute and holds a Ph.D. in Economics.

For more information, please contact Kilian Fisher, GHFA manager, and IHRSA director of international public affairs, at kfisher@ihrsa.org.

About the GHFA

The Global Health & Fitness Alliance (GHFA) was founded by IHRSA in November 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a mission of repositioning the health and fitness sector in the eyes of global governments and health bodies, definitively confirming it as an essential and vital service and a key contributor in the preventative healthcare continuum.

The GHFA is a proactive, globally representative alliance that brings together CEOs, C-suite industry stakeholders, and influencers from across the health and fitness sector.

The Alliance represents the entire global health and fitness club industry while funding research and advocacy to ensure the sector’s essential role is first recognized and then realized, working as a team and in cooperation with the relevant authorities.

The GHFA is led and operated by IHRSA and supported by organizations worldwide—ICREPS, national industry associations, club companies, and suppliers—but operates as a fully inclusive alliance open to all who meet the criteria. All applications are reviewed to ensure global representation, thought leadership, and authority move at pace.