VIPs celebrate the launch of the European Spa Leaders’ Resource 2026

European Spa magazine launched the European Spa Leaders’ Resource 2026 at a high-level spa networking event, held at Jumeriah Carlton Tower in London on January 29.

More than 240 guests attended from around the world to connect with purpose and enjoy an event conference programme featuring some of the sector’s leading lights.

Attendees included spa leaders and operators, consultants and designers, as well as key representatives of the super brands of the spa industry.

Next-level spa leadership

Welcoming delegates, European Spa’s founder and editorial director Sarah Camilleri, said: “Today is dedicated to next-level leadership. It’s about meeting old friends, making new ones and really championing what the spa industry has to offer now and in future.

“Our industry is growing rapidly. With that comes opportunity and a responsibility to learn from each other and elevate the true value that spa brings to people.

“For more than two decades, I’ve had the privilege of sharing the unique work and successes of spa and wellness leaders across Europe and beyond.

“This event is a gentle call for all of us as leaders to step into the spotlight, to help bring clarity at a time when our industry needs it most.”

Leadership conference

The event programme included a line-up of leaders who travelled from Hong Kong, Canada, Mexico, France, Switzerland and the UK.

Speaking about the power and importance of wellness hospitality design, Emlyn Brown, group director of spa, leisure and wellness at Mandarin Oriental, said: “One of the things I would encourage you all to do is to look outside of our industry to what’s happening within broader wellness. What’s influencing our guests and bringing them in?

“Then take a step back and place yourself in the shoes of your consumer; think about them from an emotional point of view. What’s the feeling you want to create within your space? That should be at the forefront of every design decision you make.”

Redefining high performance

Keynote speaker Aki Mandhar, CEO and president of Chelsea FC Women, said: “You might be thinking what’s football got to do with wellness? Football is loud, it’s fast, it’s emotional, whereas you’re curating something that’s calm, softly lit and altogether much more relaxing than a stadium.

“But I’m here because I think we’re in the same business. You’re in the business of helping people feel better, live better and perform better. And so are we.

“Together, we have a chance to redefine what high performance feels like, not just what it looks like. Our responsibility is to create environments where people can thrive long term. Wellbeing isn’t soft, it’s strategic. When people feel supported, they perform better.”

A panel of experts

A Next-Level Leadership panel explored the biggest challenges our sector faces in 2026 and beyond.

Alice Lightfoot, director of spa and fitness, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, felt that innovating while not alienating the sector’s heritage, core group of users, is a challenge this year.

“For me, the biggest challenge is human resources,” added Patrick Saussay, founder, GPSA Wellness and Spa Consulting. “The number of spas and their level of sophistication is increasing but if we don’t have the team to handle it well, we cannot deliver the experience guests are looking for.”

Maggie Derblay, area director of spa, wellness and recreation, Burgenstock Collection, agreed: “Team cohesion, retention, training, collaboration and wellbeing are vital for business continuity, but tough to achieve,” she said.

For Magdy Abdelaty, director of wellness, the Chancery Rosewood, the challenge is maintaining the phenomenally high room rate Asaya spa has achieved so far.

“We have to acknowledge that we’re not always going to be the newest opening, so for us it’s about the warmth guests feel when they enter the spa, the service experience and the level of personalisation we can achieve,” he said.

Longevity and burnout

Tackling the subject of longevity, Oliver Patrick, physiologist and wellbeing consultant, Pillar Wellbeing, said: “Longevity has appeared on the radar and it’s an interesting topic, but I think when we die and we’re chatting in heaven, there’ll be a lot of people asking for a refund on their longevity products!

“It’s a field that has grown faster than the science might dictate.

“There is a need for longevity. There’s consumer demand for it. But what do we mean by it and can we really offer it?”

Heart stress versus head stress

Peigin Crowley, co-founder, founder, Ground Wellbeing, spoke about the difference between head stressors and heart stressors.

“Head stresses are coming at us all day long; they’re the overflowing inbox and the never-ending to do list,” she said.

“Heart stressors can be anything from grief to a cancer diagnosis to your child coming home from school crying because they’re being bullied.

“Our therapists experience and we have to teach them how to meet them, to honour them and to learn how to process them.”

Closing the presentations, Adam Mogelonsky, partner at Hotel Mogel Consulting, introduced delegates to vitamin G.

“I’m here to talk about cognitive longevity. Your job as spa and hotel leaders is to incorporate this incredibly important topic into what you do,” he sais.

“And one key element associated with cognitive longevity is what I call vitamin G. The G here stands for generosity. And that’s my final point here. Because we’re caregivers, we also have to be generous people. And that is scientifically shown to be associated with cognitive longevity. Get your vitamin G and be generous.”

Leading spa brands attend

The event welcomed spa directors and consultants from many respected hospitality brands including Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont, Raffles and Dorchester Collection.

Others represented included Bulgari, Six Senses, Rosewood, Maybourne, Claridge’s, Champneys Lanserhof, Explora Journeys and W Hotels.

European Spa would like to thank it’s platinium event partner Jumeirah Carlton Tower.

Also, a big thank you for the Lego leadership workshops by Steve Morris from Make Happy, in association with Agylisis.

European Spa would also like to thank JUNIUS for fresh juices and networking drinks sponsored by Borgo Santo Pietro Lifestyle Group/Seed to Skin Tuscany.

“At a time of confusion and change, the event felt like a collective exhale,” said Sarah Camilleri. “It was a time to stand together and start the year well by celebrating the overwhelmingly positive contribution spas can make to wellbeing in the world.”