Category: Interview

An interview with Mr. Julien Donzel,
General Manager of Nescens Clinique de Genolier

Switzerland is globally renowned for its medical technology. Nescens Clinique de Genolier, based beside the picturesque Lake Geneva, is definitely a greater contributor to this. Being a prestigious private medical institute in Switzerland, Nescens is a pioneer in preventive medicine and innovative anti-aging programs. From comprehensive check-ups, lifestyle diseases management to autologous stem cell treatments, combined with five-star hotel services, Nescens helps every visitor fulfill their health goals in a magnificent environment.

Mr. Julien Donzel, General Manager of Nescens Clinique de Genolier has a very extensive background in the hospitality, wellness and health industry, managing luxury and prestigious hotels and clinics in various countries including the United States, France and Switzerland. Most recently, he has joined Nescens where he is able to promote his vision on why we should invest in our health capital in order to take advantage of our life for as long as possible, maintaining exceptional health and complete control of our lives, with full possession of our physical and intellectual capacities. SpaChina interviewed Mr. Donzel.

What is the background to Nescens Clinique de Genolier?

Professor Jacques Proust, when he created the first Aging Prevention Center at Clinique de Genolier, over 20 years ago, observed that life expectancy is constantly increasing and with it the desire to maintain good health. Health prevention measures have thus become a priority for everyone, regardless of age.

Nestled high above Lake Geneva and close to Geneva international airport, Nescens Clinique de Genolier is specialized in diagnostic and preventive health, as well as lifestyle diseases management (diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, stress, osteoarticular disorders…):

• Check-ups and specialized assessments adapted to individual needs, a Men’s Health program targeting the prevention and treatment of male-specific, age-related pathologies
• La Cure Nescens, a unique tailored-made medical program to treat diseases related to excess weight, metabolic disorders, and initiate durable weight loss
• Nescens Stem Cells, a rejuvenation program using your autolog stem cells for a future utilization

Nescens Clinique de Genolier benefits from more than 170 doctors and specialists, a state-of-the-art technical platform, analysis laboratory, etc. and is also part of the Swiss Medical Network, one of Switzerland’s two leading private clinic groups.

Based on its medical expertise, we have also developed spa Better-Aging programs targeting lifestyle-related issues (weight loss, fitness, detox, sleep disorders and stress) which are offered in our different health spa Nescens.

In recent years, overseas medical tourism has become very popular. Does Nescens Clinique de Genolier also participate in this trend? If yes, what are you doing, and how do you promote yourself to potential overseas guests?

We value the importance of our overseas guests and we meet with them as often as possible during international medical road shows where we present the philosophy of Nescens Clinique de Genolier as well as our check-ups and programs. We create therefore valuable and durable relationships with them.

Who are the main groups of overseas guests of Nescens Clinique? What treatments and experience do they seek? What global medical and health trends do you see as a result?

Our guests are coming mainly from Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. They are seeking renowned Swiss medicine quality as well as personalized checkups and health programs in a luxury environment. Afterwards, we notice more self-awareness about their health and an improvement of their wellbeing.

What are the top three medical and health concerns of guests at Nescens Clinique de Genolier? What is their typical age range, and how many days do they typically stay for medical services? How much are they willing to pay for such a medical tour?

The 3 main concerns are: health prevention and medical second opinion, overweight and metabolic diseases, and anti-aging. Our guests are mainly between 40 to 60 years old and their length of stay will vary depending on the program: 2 to 3 days for a checkup, 2 weeks for a weight loss program and 4 days for a stem cell program. According to the program, the price range is between CHF 5,000 and CHF 50,000.

What percentage of your guests are Chinese? What kind of medical package is their favorite? How many days will they stay?

We have about 30% Chinese guests who come most of the time for checkups and stem cell programs. This percentage has been increasing over the past few years. They stay usually around 4 to 5 days. Their budget will vary depending on the program chosen.

Please tell us about your excellent medical team and the professional doctors of Nescens Clinique.

Our medical team has extensive experience and their specializations are complementary with each other’s:

Pr. Jacques Proust, Medical Director of Nescens Preventive Medicine Center, Pioneer in the development of biology of aging and anti-aging medicine, FMH specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics.

Pr. Jacques Philippe, Medical Director at the Center for Nutrition and Metabolic diseases, FMH specialist in internal medicine, FMH specialist in endocrinology-diabetology. For 30 years, he has been the director of the diabetology and endocrinology center at the university hospital of Geneva.

Pr. Thierry Dantoine, Physician at Nescens Center for Preventive Medicine, FMH Specialist in nephrology; PHD in internal medicine, geriatrics and biology of aging.

How do you show personalization in your services?

We adapt our offers, services and accommodation to the wishes of our guests. Specifically, we show a great attention to the cultural aspects. We always respect carefully our guests’ requests and try to fulfill their wishes at our best.

For example, in our Detox program, we do a checkup with very thorough biology and genetic testing. According to the results, the planning, diet and sports activities are tailored to the patient’s needs.

What kind of services do you offer after the guests leave the Clinique? What percentage of the guests will choose to come back again for more medical service?

Depending on the program, our guests can have an e-consultation or a 6-month follow-up with the same specialist. In our 6-month program, we offer them an Apple watch and a connected scale at the beginning of the program; therefore we can easily keep track of their improvements. Usually, 80% of our guests will come back for another checkup after 2 years.

Switzerland has always been associated with stem cell technology. Could you explain briefly what stem cell treatment is and why Swiss stem cell treatments are so unique? Why should people choose stem-cell treatments at Nescens Clinique de Genolier?

Stem cells are the body’s raw materials – cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Stem cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition.

In Nescens Clinique, we use the guests’ own stem cells for treatments. There are two choices: Using your stem cells today allows you to take immediate action against the visible signs of aging, or store them and use them tomorrow for “advanced stem cell therapies in humans as Advance Therapies Medicinal Products” once the therapies have been approved by regulatory agencies.

Advantages of using your own Stem Cells:

• Diminished risk of allergy or rejection
• Stem cell injections activate the production of collagen
• Less invasive than plastic surgery

As one of the pioneers, Nescens Clinique de Genolier strives for excellence in every aspect of your experience:

• Our plastic surgeons are validated, highly trained & experienced in the latest stem cell procedures.
• We have a wide array of body fat stem cell treatments.
• We have one of the largest medical infrastructures, with 19 clinics across Switzerland offering medical excellence, convenience and discretion.
• We are actively involved in stem cells research, ensuring access to the latest data and techniques.
• Trusted and reliable, we collaborate with a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) laboratory, certified by Swissmedic.

An interview with Mr. Tony Wu,
Founder of ChingHo Group and Shanghai ChingHo Clinic

In Shanghai, there is a place where cutting-edge medical services are interweaved with artistic and humanistic ambience. The Founder aims to break the mold of the traditional clinic and create a comprehensive platform for a better life. Based on Chinese traditional wisdom which emphasizes harmony, balance and a holistic way of healing, Shanghai ChingHo Clinic debuted at Central Plaza in Shanghai in 2019.

The Founder of Shanghai ChingHo Clinic is a veteran entrepreneur and investor in the medical industry – Tony Wu. After obtaining his MBA degree at Massey University, Tony returned to China and started his own business. He founded ChingHo Group and began to invest in upstream and downstream companies relevant to medical services, health, art, culture and lifestyle. Meanwhile, he actively makes contributions to society by paying close attention to and sponsoring public welfare programs including the BlueRibbon Ocean Conservation Association, Teach For China rural area education support program, and more.

Seven years ago, when witnessing how his family members failed to get timely treatment at public hospitals, how his friends were deceived by immoral medical clinics and how his colleagues suffered from sub-health conditions, Tony decided to establish a comprehensive health platform to help those truly in need. Three years ago, ChinHo Group carried out a deep integration with Zeta Villa Group of Hong Kong. Since then, Tony officially started his preparation for a unique clinic aiming at “better life”. Afterwards, he began work on selecting the location, recruiting people and working together with them. Finally, Shanghai ChingHo Clinic opened its doors half a year ago. Though named as a clinic, it offers much more. SpaChina interviewed Tony.

“She embodies all my expectation and pursuit to medical service, big health and a beautiful life. She is surely a part of my life.” This is what Tony says about ChingHo.

Please introduce ChingHo Medical to us. What services do you provide? Why did you found ChingHo Medical?

ChingHo Medical is an advanced medical brand that gathers together leading medical experts, cutting-edge techniques and equipment. It is not only about health, but also life, art and culture. ChingHo is where technology and humanities meet.

Shanghai ChingHo Clinic has set up different departments including Dermatology, Medical Aesthetics, Dentistry, Traditional Chinese Medicine, General Practice, Surgery, Pediatrics, Imaging, Rehabilitation Medicine, etc. We also offer psychological counseling, customized body check and wellness programs. The clinic is equipped with a CT room, a B-Ultrasound room, two operating rooms and a Laboratory. In the near future, we will launch telemedicine services, vaccine injection services and more. To serve our guests better, we will establish direct insurance cooperation with mainstream insurance companies, and offer multi-language services including Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, etc.

I founded ChingHo because I want to help people embrace a better life. Many medical clinics nowadays just focus on a single aspect of health and don’t have a holistic concept. Traditional Chinese Medicine regards people as an integrative unit and encourages us to pursue a dynamic equilibrium or Yin-Yang balance. The quantum mechanics from the west advocates the similar ideas. When we talk about health, we should never ignore a unity of body, heart and spirit. That’s what I want to deliver at ChingHo.

Another reason is because I want to help people avoid being deceived on the way of seeking health. In the past, I was introduced to several programs. They had good concepts such as stem cell usage, mindfulness, traditional culture and more. However, driven by the greed for money, these programs finally became only a tool to make money.

What services are provided at the Medical Aesthetics Department?

At our Medical Aesthetics Department, there are mainly three sectors: skin management, facial rejuvenation, and body shaping. The first two are especially popular among the guests nowadays. With a deep understanding of the skin and facial structures, we adopt photoelectricity technology, minimally invasive injection, TCM treatments and surgery, combined with the “beauty of harmony” concept of ChingHo, to create results-proven solutions for the guests and help them restore ideal skin and facial conditions step by step.

Why do people choose ChingHo Clinic instead of public hospitals? What medical beauty trends do you see as a result?

Medical service is a science, and it is also a philosophy and art. The reasons why people choose us is because, on one hand, they trust our expertise, and on the other, they are attracted by the soothing environment, humanistic care, and the holistic health approach we provide them. Unlike traditional medical clinics, ChingHo offers not just treatments, but comprehensive life management that addresses the body, heart and spirit. As appearance plays an increasingly important role in today’s society, people’s acceptance of and requirement for medical aesthetics treatments are on a continual rise. More and more people are willing to pay for such treatments. Apart from the final effects, what customers are concerned about also includes the service quality, the comfort level, and safety, which become key factors for medical clinics to improve their competitiveness. In addition, medical institutes also shoulder the responsibility to guide people to pursue beauty in a rational way and help them select proper beauty solutions. This will help promote a healthy development of the whole industry. 

What challenges have you met while establishing and operating a private medical clinic in China? How do you overcome them?

Currently, the medical industry is witnessing fierce competition. Most of the private clinics in China face the following problems: immature management mechanisms, lack of talent, profit-driven attitudes, and lack of preparation for long-term endeavors, which result in chaotic price systems, information asymmetry and inefficient evaluation systems, etc. Facing such a situation, it is of great importance for medical institutes to build a personalized service system, actively explore potential customers and conduct value management, and build a professional medical team. Since its foundation, ChingHo has adopted a unique business strategy different from those which only focus on “sales” and “market share”. Our goal is to deliver life-cycle management and realize the greatest customer satisfaction. Based on this goal, we have built a personalized service system, formed market-oriented organization structures, and tried to activate the enthusiasm of team members in the long-run, teaching them to pay attention to details and never forget our original vision.

When it comes to medical and medical aesthetics treatments, people will naturally associate them with cold equipment, pain, long recovery periods, etc. How do you address this issue? Please share in detail.

The satisfaction of customers is the priority for ChingHo. And their comfort level during the service plays a significant role. In a soothing environment, our genial medical staff will deliver the best experience to guests from every aspect. Before the treatment, we will have a sufficient communication with the guests and tell them the whole treatment process and expected effect. During the treatment, we carry out professional and precise manipulations, deliver pain management approaches, and explain the aim of every step and how the guests may feel. After the treatment, we provide postoperative care, give guests reminders on what to do and not to do, and pay return visits to them. Everything we do is to give guests a joyful experience in our soothing, private and cordial environment.

There are many cases of medical negligence due to insufficient understanding of individual conditions or improper use of equipment. How does ChingHo avoid such problems? Who composes the medical team here?

Our medical team is composed of dermatology professionals with over 20 years of clinical experience. Experts from Japan, Korea and Taiwan give us cutting-edge aesthetic and technology support as well. Furthermore, we have a range of advanced beauty and medical equipment. All these enable us to carry out systematic and delicate management in every aspect from skin tests and therapeutic scheduling to treatment procedures.

How do you see the relationship between SPA and medical aesthetics? Does ChingHo also provide spa services?

Medical and SPA are supplementary to each other. Medical services are more results-driven while SPA is more of a lifestyle. Combined together, they help guests restore health, beauty and confidence. We do provide spa services at our ChingHo Island, a complex space aiming at holistic healing and life aesthetics. Stretching over 1,000 square meters, ChingHo Island is divided into different sectors, offering spa treatments, TCM therapies, yoga, pilates, meditation, healthy cuisine and more. There is also an art gallery, a tea house, a salon for reading, video watching, lectures, etc. It is surely a haven for modern elites who pursue a quality, healthy, cultivated and self-disciplined lifestyle. 

In recent years, overseas medical tourism has become very popular. In your opinion, what are the reasons for this? What are the development prospects?

The medical resources in China are still in a deficient situation and there is a problem of unbalanced distribution. The service awareness and environment at medical institutes including public hospitals and private clinics still have large room for improvement. Meanwhile, many foreign countries offer truly attractive programs that meet the needs of Chinese people such as test tube baby programs and cell therapy. Many overseas medical destinations boast appealing cultural elements and beautiful scenery. Now, after several years’ development, the overseas medical tourism industry has become more and more mature. They provide more reasonable and transparent prices. So, as people’s living standard keep improving, increasing number of people are considering going on an overseas medical tour.

I think in the future, overseas medical tourism will continue to be a crucial supplement to the domestic medical and health industry with its unique characteristics.

An interview with Mr. Alejandro Bataller, Vice-President at the SHA Wellness Clinic

Today many hoteliers and wellness operators are talking about holistic health. But very few have offered an integrative approach as perfectly as does SHA Wellness Clinic, which combines scientific medicine and natural therapies like no other establishment so far. A deep understanding of nutrition inspired the birth of the brand. A profound mastery of advanced regenerative medicine including gene therapy, cell therapy, tissue engineering lays a solid technologic foundation. A series of innovative programs covering cognitive stimulation, revitalising medicine, inner balance and more have expanded people’s horizon on what health means.

SHA Spain is perched on one of the finest locations in the Mediterranean, enjoying a privileged climate with 330 sunny days a year. Facing the charming village of Altea, it is integrated into a land and maritime natural park home to one of the main ornithological reserves in Europe. After over a decade transforming the lives of thousands of people around the world, SHA is now crossing the seas to new continents. Two new properties will unfold in the near future at picturesque sites in Mexico and Emirates, drawing more people into the embrace of the SHA wellness method.

SpaChina interviewed Mr. Alejandro Bataller, the Vice President at SHA Wellness Clinic to learn more about its renowned holistic approach to health and well-being.  Mr. Bataller graduated from the Pontifical University of Comillas in Spain (ICADE) before completing his degree in Business Management at Harvard Business School. He started his career in London, working in the finance industry, before joining the family business in 2007 to launch SHA Wellness Clinic. In addition, Alejandro is an Associate Professor at ISEM Fashion Business School, Pontifical University of Comillas (ICADE), Madrid School of Marketing, University of Alicante, and a guest professor at the Condé Nast Traveller Masters Program in Spain. He is also a frequent lecturer at leading forums on luxury, tourism and wellness.

What are the factors that drove the foundation of SHA? What is your vision and what services do you offer related to this vision, and what are the highlights of SHA Spain in terms of its location and design?

We opened in 2008, seeking to create a global reference in health and wellness. The inspiration behind SHA Wellness Clinic came when my father, the Founder of SHA, Alfredo Bataller Parietti, was dealing with his own critical health issues. He was lucky enough to see a doctor who had a great understanding of nutrition and natural therapies, who enabled him to regain his health. Since then, the need and commitment to share this with as many people as possible arose, creating an establishment that combined the most effective and proven natural therapies with highly therapeutic nutrition, without neglecting the latest advances in Western medicine, especially with respect to preventive medicine, genetics, and anti-aging.

In order that not only those who visit SHA can benefit from this valuable knowledge but also to generate an impact on society, we created the SHA Foundation. The objective of the SHA Foundation is to investigate, promote and teach how nutrition and health are closely related. In response to the existing nutrition issues prevalent in society, whether it’s due to scarcity, excesses or the consumption of inadequate products or ones causing unwanted secondary effects and the effect it’s having on the population’s health, SHA Foundation aims to have a positive impact on people’s health, by studying and investigating the importance of nutrition for optimal health.

In terms of design and location, SHA is characterized by a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by vegetation, waterfalls, all with natural materials. We like our guests to enjoy their stay from the moment they wake up in the morning overlooking Altea Bay or the Natural Park, We want them to feel at home in a luxury environment.

Could you briefly tell us how a typical journey proceeds at SHA Spain?

The main goal of any guest who comes to SHA is clear: to achieve optimal health and wellbeing and to take with them the tools and the knowledge to keep it. Of course, to reach this goal there are different processes: achieve optimal weight, purify the body, prevent or reverse premature aging processes, manage stress … Usually guests have their priorities clear and select the program that suits them best. Once they arrive at SHA, they have various consultations and diagnostic tests during the first hours from which the nutrition, treatments and activities included in the program are personalized, depending on various factors: the state of health, the needs of the body or daily habits, for example.

Please share in detail how SHA deals with aging-related issues.

As we age, so do our cells. Genetics, as well as nutrition and lifestyle, determine our health, and well-being can greatly influence the progression of cellular aging. So since its opening in 2008, preventive medicine and anti-aging medicine are a part of the SHA philosophy and the SHA Method. At SHA we have a Preventive Medicine Unit that helps our guests to enjoy life with health and vitality, regardless of life’s stages, through several treatments. Preventative medicine is based on “predicting to prevent”, that is to say, the ability to determine the risk of suffering from certain illnesses using information about genetic changes in people. SHA has an advanced laboratory to carry out genetic and genomic studies of all kinds, from telomere analysis to biomarker studies.

Once you have the results of your genetic tests, you can implement personalised techniques using the latest technology from preventative medicine, such as Bioidentical Hormone Replacement. This technique can restore depleted levels of hormones to their optimal level, helping to prevent age-related illnesses and improve symptoms of aging, such as menopause for women or andropause for men. Revitalising medicine can give you increased vitality, energy, and a strong feeling of well-being as the immune system improves thanks to ozonotherapy and suerotherapy. You can also try regenerative medicine techniques, which focus on regenerating tissues and improving organic structures using the most advanced stem cell treatments and embryonic-derived biological elements that are highly effective for anti-aging treatments, orthopedic repair, and erectile dysfunction therapies, among others.

What is the composition of your expert team?

We have about 40 different nationalities among our professionals (including about 30 doctors). We have had to go around a lot to get the best in certain areas! We offer the most outstanding, internationally renowned experts in nutrition, preventive medicine, anti-ageing, genetics, holistic medicine, dermoaesthetic medicine, regenerative medicine, revitalising medicine, fitness, and cognitive stimulation, among others. They all work together to create our SHA Method, based on integrative medicine combining effective holistic therapies and the latest medical treatments. We have created a scientific committee that constantly researches each of the fields our comprehensive method covers looking for the latest to help our guest live longer and better.

Who are the guests at SHA Spain, including their origin, age range, and major health concerns?

Our regular guests are men or women between the ages of 30 and 50, from different parts of the world: The Middle East, Spain, England, USA, Russia… The common factor of all of them is that they live a frenetic life and seek to occupy their limited free time to reach an optimal state of physical, mental and spiritual well-being and to learn new habits and maintain them.

What is the percentage of Chinese guests at SHA Spain? What are the top programs among them? How long do they stay at SHA on average?

Although we have not yet carried out any promotional action in China, we are receiving some Chinese citizens interested in improving their health and well-being. The program of greatest interest for them is our healthy ageing program, which has a minimum duration of 7 days to achieve significant results.

Do most Chinese guests visit on their own or through medical tour agencies?

So far, the majority of Chinese citizens visiting SHA have booked directly. No doubt health and wellness specialized travel partners can always be of great help when it comes to discerning between an increasingly wide and varied offer of health and well-being, which best fits the needs of each guest.

How do you promote yourself to potential overseas guests?

The great support that we have always received from the media, from the specialized collaborators and the nearly one hundred awards received by international institutions have been fundamental to get where we are, but all that is of no use if you do not give excellent service. Getting the results that guests expect is what generates the wod of mouth that allow us to be fully booked most part of the year.

What’s your development plan and goal for SHA in the next five years? Will you build more properties in other areas of the world?

By the end the year 2019, after traveling to dozens of locations in search of the perfect environment, we announced the opening of two new properties, SHA Mexico and SHA Emirates. Both will be developed based on our philosophy that has characterized us since our beginning: healthy nutrition as a cornerstone, a 360º integrative method that combines holistic therapies and preventive medicine, and the re-education of habits in the short and medium term that have a significant impact on long-term health.

SHA Mexico, which is to open in 2021, will be located in the state of Quintana Roo, in a quiet and paradisiacal setting in front of Isla Mujeres, a strategic location to serve both the North American and Latin American markets. It will have 7 hectares of native nature, where it will be integrated with the exuberant flora and fauna of the area, and with about half a kilometer of white sand beach. It will have 100 suites and Private Residences, all with seafront views. Mostly natural materials and renewable energy sources including marble, Mexican ceramics, wicker and native fabrics will be used in the construction and decor of the wellness centre.

SHA Emirates, our third location, will be built by IMKAN Properties, one of the best-known developers in the region. The wellness clinic will be located in a unique coastal ecosystem known as AlJurf. The opening of SHA Emirates is scheduled for early 2023. SHA and IMKAN’s objective is not just to open a leading wellness clinic for the Middle East but to creating a community around the healthy lifestyle. The opening of SHA Emirates seeks to mark a turning point to positively influence the lifestyle of the entire region towards healthier habits. SHA Emirates will occupy 125,000 square meters along the coast and will feature 120 suites.

What trends do you see in the global wellness industry? Now more and more wellness resorts are opening around the world. What are your suggestions to them?

It may sound pretentious, but current market trends are very much aligned with issues that we have been working on at SHA for years and that have become popular today. Among them I would highlight:

• A deeper approach to aging prevention away from cosmetics and superficiality and demanded every time by younger generations for a preventive purpose.
• Mental Wellness / Cognitive Stimulation, not only worrying that our body ages in optimal conditions but also our mind, enjoying brain agility at any stage of life.
• Energy medicine as a way to prevent health problems thanks to detecting imbalances in our energy and correct them in time.
• Sabbatical Wellness. Facilitate senior executives who can improve their health and well-being while continuing to fulfill their professional obligations.

Indeed, the popularity of this industry (and the growing necessity in the population) has motivated the number of wellness properties to grow exponentially. Many traditional hoteliers felt attracted to discover this industry as a way to increase their demand. My recommendation would be “Never over-process. People are trusting us with the most important thing they have, their health”.