Global mentorship scheme for spa professionals kicks off with 17 partnerships

Spa mentorship scheme the Global Mentorship Pilot Program has begun with its first wave of spa managers receiving one-to-one guidance from seasoned spa directors. 

There are 17 mentorship pairings in this first round of the scheme, which was developed by Jean-Guy de Gabriac, chief executive of Tip Touch International spa training and consultancy company, along with Deborah Smith, principal of wellness consultants Smith Club & Spa Specialists.

Mentees will work with their mentors for three months, talking twice a month by phone or video conference to tackle challenges boost their skills in areas such as marketing, finance, leadership and strategic business planning.

“This is one way to reduce the learning curve for these junior spa managers who show great potential yet need and want sage guidance to master the profession,” said de Gabriac.

The first wave of the programme kicked off in last month, with pairs working together until March. Spa professionals from around the world, including USA, France, Germany, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Australia have signed up to be involved in the scheme, with mentors including Hans-Peter Veit, spa development director at Oetker Collection, which owns Brenner’s Park Hotel, and Paris Kounoudis, director of spa at the Ritz-Carlton in Abu Dhabi.

The second wave will launch in April, with the first UK-based mentor partnership taking part. Applications for the programme running in 2016 will begin in May.