HFA Leaders Strengthen Global Industry Partnerships Across Asia and Europe
From Tokyo to Beijing to Paris, HFA leaders connected with industry executives to advance global collaboration and share insights shaping the future of fitness.
The Health & Fitness Association’s leadership team has spent the first part of the summer engaging with fitness industry executives across Asia and Europe, reinforcing the association’s growing international presence while sharing research, best practices, and strategies for positioning exercise as an essential component of preventive healthcare.
Interim President and CEO Greta Wagner represented SPORTEC Thailand in Bangkok, SPORTEC Japan in Tokyo, and the ChinaFit-HFA Management Forum in Beijing, where she addressed industry leaders on the evolving role of fitness facilities in addressing some of society’s most pressing health challenges. Drawing on more than three decades leading Chelsea Piers before joining HFA, Wagner emphasized that health clubs are increasingly becoming part of the world’s health infrastructure rather than simply places to exercise.
Speaking in Japan, Wagner highlighted the country’s leadership in healthy aging and longevity, noting that governments, healthcare systems, employers, and communities are increasingly recognizing exercise as a cornerstone of disease prevention and long-term health. She also outlined HFA’s priorities of advancing advocacy, expanding industry research, supporting responsible adoption of emerging technologies, and fostering global collaboration among operators.
In Beijing, Wagner built on those themes while recognizing China’s rapidly growing fitness market and long-standing partnership between HFA and ChinaFit. She encouraged operators to look beyond traditional business metrics and focus on measurable health outcomes, stronger connections with healthcare providers, programs for older adults, and thoughtful use of technology to improve member experiences. Wagner also emphasized HFA’s role in bringing together industry leaders from more than 50 countries to share ideas, strengthen advocacy efforts, and demonstrate the value of exercise as preventive healthcare.
HFA’s engagement across Asia also included presentations by APAC Director Sean Tan, who participated in SPORTEC Japan, the ChinaFit-HFA Management Forum, and SPORTEC Thailand. At SPORTEC Thailand, Tan moderated a keynote discussion examining Thailand’s emergence as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fitness and wellness markets. Joined by Mark Buchanan, CEO of Evolution Wellness; Mike Lamb, CEO Thailand for Fitness & Lifestyle Group and Jetts 24 Hour Fitness; and Jack Thomas, founder and CEO of BASE and co-founder of The Fit Guide.
Meanwhile, HFA’s European presence continued through Executive Vice President of Global Development Florian Cartoux, who attended the Union des Entreprises Sport & Cycle FITEX event in France. During the event, industry leaders highlighted new research showing that fitness and exercise now engage approximately 18 million people across France, including 7.7 million health club members, while the sector supports more than 45,000 full-time coaching jobs and contributes more than €3.5 billion to the country’s economy. The findings also pointed to continued opportunity for growth, with France’s fitness penetration rate remaining below several neighboring European markets.
Together, these engagements reflect HFA’s continued commitment to supporting operators around the world, strengthening international partnerships, and advancing the role of exercise in improving public health. By participating in leading industry events across multiple continents, HFA continues to connect fitness leaders, share evidence-based insights, and promote policies that position physical activity as an essential investment in healthier communities worldwide.