Minor Hotels has appointed Chunxia Gao as group director of spa and wellness to lead the Asia region of its spa division, MSpa International.

In this role, Gao will head up MSpa and oversee operations and the expansion of a series of medical wellness facilities throughout Asia under various brands and partnerships.

The position at MSpa was previously held by industry figure Zoe Wall for four years.

Gao has joined the spa management company after a 17-year stint at Six Senses. Her specialism lies in management, pre-opening, technical services and design for new global spa and wellness facilities.

At Six Senses, Gao honed her skills in spa operations, design and project management, including concept creation of new spas in resort and urban locations, as well as wellness facilities and destination retreats.

She initially began her career as a spa manager and has also worked with brands including Hilton and Crowne Plaza.

Having lived and worked in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin Americas, Gao’s firmly committed to delivering exceptional experiences adapted for a variety of cultures and clientele.

Fluent in Mandarin and English, she’s now based in Bangkok with her French husband and three children.

More about MSpa

MSpa is the spa management arm of Minor Hotel Group and was launched in Thailand in 1999. The company now operates over 70 spas around the world.

MSpa encompasses six spa brands; Anantara Spa; balance wellness by Anantara; Avani Spa; Clinique la Prairie Bangkok; Mandara Spa; and Verita Health.