Publications

The Asia-Pacific region was the first to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now fitness business leaders there are paving the way in reopening and recovery. IHRSA Asia-Pacific Director John Holsinger leads this panel of three CEOs who have emerged from the pandemic with new lessons that will help any fitness facility, gym, health club, or studio not only survive, but succeed after unprecedented turmoil.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the recovery metrics for revenue and membership of four different Asian countries following the pandemic.
• Learn what has worked best in bringing members back from membership holds or cancellations.
• Identify key strategies used in communicating why gyms are safe and what has worked the best in influencing the decision-makers that the industry is self-managing for safety and ultimate results.
• Key learnings from the region that is ahead of others in reopening and recovery.

Presenter Profiles

Loni Wang is the CEO of Catic Wellness Group, Ltd. based in Shenzhen, China. She founded Catic, the first club company to promote wellness in China, which also became the first health and fitness provider in the country to go public in 2010. Today, the business operates 52 clubs under five brands, offering a mix of fitness, nutrition, wellness, anti-aging, and stress-management services. Loni served as China’s only representative at the World Health Organization’s 3rd Sports Sector Dialogue for GAPPA (the Global Action Plan for Physical Activity). She holds a master’s degree in engineering and economics and a Ph.D. in management engineering.

With over 21 years in leadership roles, Dane Fort’s career in fitness and wellness spans five countries. In his present role as Chief Executive Officer of Fitness & Lifestyle Group Vietnam, he oversees the operations of 55 fitness clubs and beauty clinics employing over 4,000 staff across seven cities in Vietnam.

Dane’s last 13 years have been driven by a vision of improving the health of all of his adopted homeland’s 96 million people. This vision for the fastest growing southeast Asian nation has seen him pioneer both an industry and revolution in wellness in the country.

Co-founded in 2002 by Colin Grant, the PURE Group has grown to over 30 locations with more than 2,000 staff and around 600 yoga and fitness classes a day across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, and New York. Through the brands Pure Yoga, Pure Fitness, Pure Apparel, nood food, and MyPureYoga, Pure Group now encompasses yoga, fitness, active wear, and healthy eating as an integrated community dedicated to helping people lead a balanced 360-degree lifestyle.

Good health and athleticism have always been a part of Colin’s lifestyle. He played tennis semi-professionally and impressively ranked as the top seeded player in Hong Kong for over a decade, participating in various international tournaments such as the Davis Cup and Wimbledon.

Grant fell in love with yoga in 2001 and six months later, Pure Yoga was born. He subsequently started Pure Fitness in 2003, launched Pure Apparel and nood food in 2013, and MyPureYoga.com in 2016. PURE Group has grown into the undisputed leader in Asia’s wellness industry.