Joy Menzies

Managing Director - Management and marketing

Joy, a natural leader, has an established business and hospitality background with 30 years executive experience working in Asia, including 8 years as Managing Director for Chiva-Som International Health Resort in Thailand.

During her years leading Chiva-Som, Joy was responsible for overall operations, marketing and profitability. During that time she tripled revenue from US$7 million in 2001 to $US21 million in 2008; successfully raised the brand's international profile; oversaw the winning of numerous hospitality awards (e.g., Conde Nast UK top three global destination spa for 7 years in a row); expanded the resort's client base to over 50 countries with high celebrity profile, and doubled the repeat guest ratio from 22% to 46%

Career highlights

• Business graduate with formal training in anatomy/physiology, massage and reiki.
• Owned and operated two highly successful F&B outlets in Bangkok for 18 years.
• Concept developed and launched a Thai Healthy Food Franchise.
• Board member of the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC) and Global Wellness Initiative.

Samantha Foster

Development Director - Concept, set-up and services development

Strong marketing and branding background with 9 years in advertising and market research, followed by 18 years working across all types of spa in every aspect of the wellness industry. Sam is one of Asia's most experienced spa consultants.

Sam has personally created customized operations for many five-star hotels, incorporating all aspects of wellness: spa, fitness, holistic health, salon and medispa. Highly experienced at overseeing multiple operations in different geographical locations, including, but not limited to, product development and distribution, consulting, spa operations and media. She also spent 12 years as a business development consultant to Chiva-Som, planning all aspects of health resort development.

Career highlights

• President of International Health & Wellness Alliance (IHWA).
• Founding Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC).
• Twice awarded ‘Spa Personality of the Year' by AsiaSpa.
• Author and lecturer of four professional courses, including spa development and spa management.
• Guest presenter at over 70 international seminars and symposiums.
• Qualified in a wide range of holistic health, spa and beauty therapies, cosmetic science and business modalities.
• Contributing writer of the world's first spa management textbook, "The Measure of Pleasure: Understanding the Global Spa Industry", published by Elsevier, 2008.

Sharon Menzies

Client Relationship Director - Training, human resources, systems and procedures

Strong consulting ‘change management' background with 16 years experience with Price Waterhouse Coopers UK, successfully delivering both global and UK-based projects followed by 6 years working in an executive role for Chiva-Som in Thailand.

In her 6 years at Chiva-Som Sharon held a wide variety of senior management roles, including business strategy, human resources, operation systems' design and business development. In particular, she conceptualized and implemented a macro-organisational structure to support operations and business expansion, and re-designed core business processes to enhance efficiency and performance. She also introduced professionalized HR functions with an emphasis on capability development, new grading and salary structure.

Career highlights

• Events board member for the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC).
• Speaker at several international conferences in the wellness sector.
• Formally trained in reiki and pranic healing.

Nathanicha (Naam) Thongbai

Research and Development Manager - Administration, outreach services and business development

Over 10 years extensive study and practice in integrated health, including conventional as well as complementary and alternative medicine.

Career highlights

• Holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and midwifery.
• Qualified in wellness practice, herbal medicine, anti-aging medicine, naturopathy, nutrition, counselling, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), hypnosis, stress management, sleep management and wellness coaching.
• Senior Wellness Advisor for over 9 years at Chiva-Som International Health Resort.
• Consulted privately on wellness elements for Mark Moran Vaucluse – Australia’s most exclusive seniors living development.
• Initially trained as a nurse and worked for 4 years in hospital emergency, labour, operating theatre and ICU departments.