Prominent African entrepreneur, recognized by both Forbes and the World
Economic Forum for her leadership and entrepreneurialism, joins international
board of directors
New York, NY – February 24, 2015
– The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) today announced the appointment of Magatte
Wade, a Senegalese entrepreneur named one of the 20 Youngest Power Women in
Africa by Forbes and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, to its
Board of Directors. In addition to these honors, Wade was awarded the first-ever
Leading Woman in Wellness Award at the 2014 Global Wellness Summit in Morocco.
“It’s with great pleasure that I welcome Magatte to our board,” said Susie
Ellis, Chairman and CEO of the Global Wellness Institute, the umbrella
organization that runs the GWS. “Magatte brings a unique wellness perspective to
our international organization and I’m pleased to also announce that she will
head up our new African initiative which will be focused on expanding the
message of Africa’s unique health, beauty and healing traditions to today’s
receptive global wellness market.”
Magatte is also the founder of
Tiossan, a high-end skin care line based on indigenous Senegalese recipes. Prior
to founding Tiossan, Magatte started her entrepreneurial career in the US with
the launch of her first company, Adina World Beverages, which became widely
distributed in the U.S. and was based on indigenous Senegalese beverage recipes.
Magatte joins a board of wellness experts that spans eleven countries.
“Having the opportunity to play such a pivotal role in global wellness is an
absolute honor,” said Wade. “And I look forward to helping educate the world
about the extraordinary, far too little understood health and wellness
traditions across Africa, a continent that is often misunderstood by the
mainstream media which paints every country with the same brush. And, as a GWS
board member, I’m excited about advocating for wellness tourism, which will
create a clearer recognition of the indigenous cultural identities and unique
approaches to health, wellbeing and beauty in the over 50 countries that make up
Africa.”
Africa – Fastest Growing Wellness Tourism & Spa Market
The Global Wellness Institute’s Africa Initiative, led by Wade, launches as
new data reveals that Sub-Saharan Africa is both the fastest growing wellness
tourism and spa market in the world: the former now registering 60 percent
annual revenue growth and the latter rising 187 percent from 2007 to 2013. And
the Middle East/North Africa region represents the second fastest growing
market, with wellness tourism expanding revenues 38 percent annually and the spa
industry growing 143% over the last six years[1]. In response, organizations
like the Spa and Wellness Association of Africa have been formed.
The
ninth annual Global Wellness Summit will be held November 13-15 in Mexico City
at The St. Regis Mexico City. The event, which is considered the world’s most
prestigious gathering of business, government and academic leaders in the
wellness, travel and spa industries, is expected to attract a record number of
delegates. The event’s name has been simplified from “The Global Spa & Wellness
Summit” to “The Global Wellness Summit,” reflecting the broad spectrum of
wellness industries it now attracts and serves.
The Summit is an
invitation-only gathering for senior executives, for information about attending
click here. For sponsorship information, contact Michelle Gamble
(michelle.gamble@globalwellnesssummit.com).
To learn more about
the 2015 GWS, visit: www.globalwellnesssummit.com
About
the Global Wellness Institute: The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) is
an international think-tank that brings together leaders and visionaries from
private and public sectors to positively impact and shape the future of the
wellness industry. The GWI is the umbrella organization of the Global Wellness
Summit (GWS) and the Global Wellness Tourism Congress (GWTC). The GWI is
considered the leading global research and educational resource for the $3.4
trillion wellness industry.WellnessEvidence.com, the world’s first online portal
to the medical evidence for common wellness approaches, is also a GWI
initiative.
About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global
Wellness Summit (GWS) is an international gathering that brings together leaders
and visionaries to positively impact and shape the future of the global wellness
industries. Attendees to the Summit represent diverse sectors, including spa,
hospitality, tourism, health, beauty, finance, medical, architecture, real
estate, manufacturing and technology. Held in a different location each year,
the Summit attracts delegates from over 45 countries who work together to
achieve the organization’s goal which is reflected in its tagline: “Joining
Together. Shaping the Future.”
