DR JOHN MORGAN

News and jobs updated daily on
www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk
Health Club Management
is IHRSA’s European Strategic
Media Partner
Award for Olav Thorstad
he 2014 European
Club Leadership Award
was awarded to Olav
TThorstad last month,
at the 14th Annual IHRSA
European Congress.
Thorstad joined SATS in
November of 2007 as country
manager for Norway. Less than
two years later, in June 2009, he
was promoted to CEO for all
activities in SATS Holding, which
operates across the Nordics.
During 2013, a merger
process between SATS and
Elixia was initiated. This was
finalised in June of 2014 and
Thorstad was appointed CEO
of the new joint company –
named Health & Fitness Nordic
– which now operates more
than 200 clubs and caters
for over 550,000 members.
Not only has the company
grown tremendously under
Thorstad’s leadership, but all
markets the health and fitness
company is operating in have
grown as well.
“Thorstad is a visionary
and has a holistic view on
the industry,” wrote Rasmus
Ingerslev, CEO of low-cost
operator Fresh Fitness – also
part of Health & Fitness Nordic
– in a letter to IHRSA nominating
Thorstad for the award.
“Thanks to this holistic vision,
he initiated operations in the
low-cost segment, through
Fresh Fitness, in 2010. This
makes Health & Fitness Nordic
one of the few cross-segment
operators in Europe.
“In addition to the health
clubs, Health & Fitness Nordic
also owns SAFE, a company
educating instructors for the
fitness industry – another way
of helping the industry grow.
“This complex operation
requires great leadership,
strong understanding of
business cultures and the
ability to attract and retain
talent who share your vision.
And that’s what Olav Thorstad
is – a great leader.”
More keynotes announced for IHRSA 2015
T
hree more keynote speakers have been announced for
the 2015 IHRSA Annual Convention & Trade Show, which
takes place in Los Angeles in March, joining futurologist
Magnus Lindkvist (see HCM Oct 14, p29) in the line-up.
Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of the
Huffington Post Media Group, will present ‘Redefining Success: The
Third Metric That Can Benefit Your Bottom Line’. She has been
named on Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential
people and the Forbes Most Powerful Women list.
Author and columnist Adam Bryant will present ‘Quick and
Nimble: Lessons from Leading CEOs on How to Create a Culture
of Innovation’. Bryant has over two decades’ experience as a
reporter and editor at both Newsweek and The New York Times.
Olav Thorstad: “A
visionary and a
great leader”
L-r: Arianna Huffington, Kelly McGonigal and Adam Bryant
Author and Stanford University lecturer Kelly McGonigal will
speak on ‘The Willpower Instinct’. In 2010, Forbes named McGonigal
one of the 20 most inspiring women to follow on Twitter.
About IHRSA
Founded in 1981, IHRSA – the
International Health, Racquet &
Sportsclub Association – is the only
global trade association, representing
more than 10,000 health and fitness
facilities and suppliers worldwide.
To learn how IHRSA can help your
business thrive, visit www.ihrsa.org. Locate
an IHRSA club at www.healthclubs.com
November/December 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
37