Global Mentorship Program announces 2017-2019 lineup

The Global Mentorship Program has announced its taskforce and country ambassadors for 2017-2019.

Designed to encourage the development of future leaders within the spa industry, the Global Mentorship Program (GMP) was set up in 2014.

The programmes aims to address the management skills shortage in a sector where more than 70,000 spa managers and directors are predicted to be needed by 2020.

GMP sees experienced spa professionals, who must have at least five years’ experience, mentor an aspiring spa manager/director, who needs to have a minimum of two years’ experience.

The taskforce for the 2017 to 2019 period includes Jean-Guy de Gabriac, chief executive of consultancy Tip Touch International, and GMP chair and regional director for Europe.

Other members of the taskforce include Keith Richards, corporate operations director at Six Senses and regional director for Australasia; Kate Mearns, principal consultant at 5 Spa Consulting and regional director for the US; and Emmy Stoltz, owner of Spa Fusion and regional director of Africa.

De Gabriac said: “Spas rarely have any budget to help managers become better leaders. We strive to bridge that gap by gathering experienced spa, wellness and hospitality professionals to actively mentor newer leaders in order to help them become successful.”

The programme also has 46 country ambassadors in 38 countries.

The list of country ambassadors include Marinette Kritzinger, spa manager at the Strand Hotel and country ambassador for Namibia; Kelly Coates, director of spa operations at The Temple House and country ambassador for China; and Adriana Azuara, chief executive of All 4 Spas, and country ambassador for Mexico.

The extensive selection of country ambassadors also includes Alla Sokolova, founder of IWC Balans group and Latvia country ambassador; Alejandro Leo, spa director at Grand Hyatt Goa and one of the India country ambassadors; and Ann Brown, founder of Saltability and one the county ambassadors for the US.

Kate Mearns said: “The deficit in qualified leaders poses a significant threat to the future success of our industry globally. Our goal is to engage our experienced managers with newer managers to foster, encourage and support professional growth.”

For more on the Global Mentorship Programme, and to register for free, go to: mentorshipevidence.com/register