The list of mentors for the recently announced spa manager mentorship programme as part of the Global Spa Management Education Initiative have been revealed at the Global Spa and Wellness Summit (GSWS) currently taking place in Marrakech, Morocco.

It was announced at GSWS that for the six-month mentorship scheme, piloting between January and June next year, five mentors will oversee each region, with Geeta Morar – founder of SVA Spas & Salons – managing India; Deborah Smith, principal of Smith Club & Spa looking at the US market; Shahida Siddique, owner and CEO of Spadunya Color Experience watching the Middle East; Jean Guy de Gabriac, owner of Tip Touch International, managing Europe; and task force chair and managing director of Raison d’Etre, Anna Bjurstam managing the Australasia-based mentors.

Those five will manage a larger group of mentors in each region, with initially, 15 international spa director mentors from ten countries being paired with 30 managers worldwide.

Those 15 mentors will be made up of Six Senses’ Francisca Atunes; Acqualina Resort & Spa’s Cynthia Bell; Spa Gregories’ Angela Cortright; Glenwood Hot Springs’ David Erlich; Atlantis The Palm’s Neil Hewerdine; Le Meridien’s Paris Kounoudis; Clarins’ Morgan Lefrancois; Swissotel’s Larisa Marinica; Geeta Morar; Caudalie’s Adillia Oliviera; JSH’s Fabrizio Palmitessa; Oetker Collection’s Hans-Peter Veit; Jennifer Wayland-Smith; Starwood’s Christian Keifer; and finally Kent Richards and Mark Sands, both of Six Senses in Asia.

Dependent on the results of the pilot programme, the mentorship scheme is set be rolled out more widely to day and hotel/resort spa segments in 2015/2016.

Speaking exclusively to Spa Opportunities, Jean-Guy de Gabriac said: “Christian Keifer confirmed his commitment in the last week and we are delighted to have a representative of one of the Starwood spa brands.

“In Europe, I would like to highlight that Larisa Marinica, Adilia Oliveira & Fabrizio Palmitessa are all recipients of a Diamond Award from the Hotel & Spa Forum in Paris, honouring them among the best European spa managers.

“With Anna, Deborah, Geeta and Shahida, we wish to encourage and inspire talented spa managers – those with two years of experience already under their belt – who can start sending their resume & application as of now, until 30 November.”

The 30 protégés will be selected in December 2014. The progress these managers achieve by June 2015 will be reported at GSWS 2015. If the success rate is high, the objective is to expand the international scope, with more mentors in more countries.