EuropeActive is very pleased to announce that Aspria, Les Mills, L'Orange Bleue and The Gym Group have joined as new members of its President's Councils with the aim of working together and to strategise for our industry’s post-pandemic rebuilding and renewal, as well as for the future positioning of our sector as a recognised health and wellbeing solution in European society.
Aspria, L'Orange Bleue and The Gym Group will be joining the President’s Council for Operators (PCO), which is currently comprised of the CEOs from eight leading fitness club operator chains in the European fitness sector: Anytime Fitness, Basic-Fit International, David Lloyd Leisure, Fitness Park, GO fit, LifeFit Group, PureGym Group and SATS.
Les Mills will be part of the President's Council for Suppliers, Digital & Tech (PCSDT), which among other projects supports the establishment of the European DataHub for the fitness and physical activity sector, as well as EuropeActive's research centre THINK Active and its knowledge-sharing platform. More information about EuropeActive's stakeholder advisory boards can be found here.
The members of EuropeActive’s President’s Councils have also pledged their support for the Horizon 2025 Sectoral Manifesto defining the European trade association’s vision for the fitness and physical activity sector over the coming years.
“Out of the crisis of the pandemic has come opportunity for our sector,” says Aspria CEO Brian Morris. “With health front of mind for societies and governments around the world, now is the time to make ourselves heard regarding our value and contribution to public health. I am therefore delighted to join EuropeActive and the President’s Council", he concluded.
Les Mills Europe CEO Martin Franklin stated: "We are delighted to be joining the President’s Council for Suppliers, Digital & Tech. The work EuropeActive lead is critical for our sector and the acceleration of our industry; by joining the President’s Council, alongside other industry leaders, we are excited to support this important work and moment for our industry".
The Gym Group CEO Richard Darwin commented: “We are thrilled to be joining EuropeActive’s President’s Council for Operators. It is fantastic to join this group of industry leaders at a time when mental and physical health has never been so important. We are passionate about making fitness accessible for all and we are delighted that we can work together with the rest of the industry to ensure the wide-ranging benefits of physical activity are well-understood.”
Commenting on joining EuropeActive's President's Council for Operators, L'Orange Bleue Executive Director Jose Nercellas said: "We are delighted to join EuropeActive as this partnership represents the way forward in our European development to improve, promote and reach out to people and institutions that work towards getting people more active and healthy. L’Orange Bleue cooperates closely with Active-FNEAPL at national level to increase the awareness and interest of doing sports in proximity, well supported by our facilities and workforce. We trust this partnership, together with our fitness clubs and coaches, will be the perfect ambassadors to capitalise on the importance of exercise for people’s wellbeing".
President David Stalker said, “I am delighted to see the extraordinary growth and development in the President’s Councils. Aspria, Les Mills, L'Orange Bleue and The Gym Group are top leading companies covering different market segments that will help us achieve all our goals in the forthcoming months. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to the entire President’s Council membership for their generous and continued contributions to make our long-term goals and initiatives a reality".
President's Council members will convene on Thursday, 7th April 2022 in Cologne, Germany, for the President's Council Summit (PCS), an invitation-only event that will gather the main fitness club operator, supplier, digital and tech executives of the European fitness ecosystem to discuss the main challenges and business opportunities of the European sector’s future.