Global Wellness Summit Announces Agenda for Historic 2020 Conference


The GWS announced an impressive roster of keynotes, presenters and panels for the 14th annual GWS taking place both in-person and worldwide via the recently announced Virtual Access Package.

2020 may be shorthand for perfect vision, but few could have imagined what we have seen this year. The challenges are immense, but so are the opportunities, especially for wellness.

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, today announced an impressive roster of keynotes, presenters and panels for the 14th annual GWS taking place both in-person at The Breakers Palm Beach and worldwide via the recently announced Virtual Access Package.

Below is a snapshot of the presenters and their topics; the full list can be found at this link and is updated frequently:

-Ophelia Yeung, Katherine Johnston, Tonia Callender, research team from The Global Wellness Institute, will present a groundbreaking report: “Defining the Mental Wellness Economy”

-James Nestor, will present on his New York Times best-selling book: “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art”

-Amanda Ho, co-founder, Regenerative Travel, in conversation with Catherine Feliciano-Chon, founder & managing director, CatchOn: “Regenerative Travel, Eco-Luxury and Social Impact—Strange and Powerful Bedfellows”

-Raphael Rakowski, co-founder of Medically Home, and Adventist Health President, Bill Wing will present: “Taking Matters into Your Own Home—Traditional Healthcare Disrupted”

-Marisa Peer, best-selling author, sought-after therapist to celebrities and royalty, will present: “Reset Yourself—the Next Level of Empowerment”

-Rick Stollmeyer, founder of the multibillion-dollar wellness technology platform, Mindbody, on his recently released book: “Building a Wellness Business that Lasts: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love”

-Paul Leone, CEO, The Breakers Palm Beach, in conversation with Susie Ellis (GWS chair & CEO): “Navigating Hospitality in the Time of a Pandemic”

-Amir Alroy, co-founder, Welltech1, on the robust wellness technology sector: “Innovations from the Start-Up Nation”

-Shoshana Ungerleider, MD, founder, End Well Project, in conversation with B.J. Miller, MD, founder of Mettle Health: “Resetting Society’s Discourse on Death and Dying”

-Michael Breus, MD, sleep expert and author: “How to be Better in Bed—Sleeping Through the Pandemic”

-Michael C. Bush, founder of Great Place to Work, will present never-before shared research on the impact of the pandemic on the workplace and workforce, and the ROI of wellness and inclusivity in business

-Chris Rondeau, CEO, Planet Fitness, in conversation with C. Victor Brick, CEO, P.F. Growth Partners, LLC, on fitness as a predictor of health and immunity, and the challenges and opportunities of this moment in time

-Nicola Finley, MD, Health & Healing, Canyon Ranch: “Dancing into Wellness—The Medical Benefits of Unbridled Joy”

-Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Modi, chairman of Smart Group, will present on the Wellness Economy in India

-Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens football legend, entrepreneur: “8 Pillars of a Full Life”

-Zev Suissa, chief innovation officer, eMindful, Inc., will present on mindfulness technologies impacting the new work paradigm

-Richard Carmona, MD, 17th Surgeon General of the US: “Life Must Go On—Living with a New Reality”

-Anna Bjurstam, wellness pioneer, Six Senses, strategic advisor, Pegasus Capital Advisors: “Dreaming the World We Want”

-John Kao, renowned innovator, strategic advisor, author, will present a keyboard keynote while playing Jazz piano: “Wellness is Ripe for Disruption”

Panels will focus on topics as wide-ranging as Wellness Real Estate and Communities; Mental Wellness; Wellness Technologies; Investing in Wellness; Science of Sleep; Hospitality; Travel & Tourism; Sustainability and Regeneration; Wellness Media and Trends; Achieving Health Equity in Minority Communities; and more. Critical to the conversation will be “Resetting Sessions,” where moderators will lead the delegates—in-person and virtually—through a series of brainstorming discussions with the purpose of charting a course for the future of the industry.

The Summit also features its legendary Shark Tank of Wellness student competition; the presentation of Global Wellness Awards including the inaugural Global Wellness Summit Prize, given to the winner of the “Call for Wellness Innovations” competition; an update on “The Wellness Moonshot: A World Free of Preventable Disease”; and the Tech Innovation Pavilion, featuring global companies involved in cutting-edge wellness technologies.

“2020 may be shorthand for perfect vision, but few could have imagined what we have seen this year. The challenges are immense, but so are the opportunities, especially for wellness. We are taking this moment to gather industry leadership to forge a plan for the future. The theme of “Resetting the World with Wellness” was chosen with intent and a clear mission, and we have invited some of the best minds in the world to share their strategies for a strong, healthy and conscious future,” said Nancy Davis, chief creative officer and executive director of the GWS and curator of the agenda.

Capacity at the 2020 Summit at The Breakers is very limited. Register here for either the in-person Summit or the Virtual Access Package.

Images can be found here.

About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. Held in a different location each year, Summits have taken place in the US, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. The 14th annual Summit will take place at The Breakers Palm Beach, FL, from November 8–11, 2020. The 2021 GWS will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 15–18.

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