Nerio Alessandri is an Italian entrepreneur and President and founder of Technogym.
Biography
In 1983 Nerio Alessandri founded Technogym at the age of 22, and began building exercise equipment in the garage of his home. In 1984 he designed the Isotonic Line, the very first Technogym training line for gyms and then in 1986 came Unica, the first, hi-tech design, home trainer. In 1988 he patented the CPR system, a scientific algorithm for constant pulse/heart rate training that became the hallmark of Technogym products. In 1993 at the 1st California Tradefair International Conference in Rimini, Alessandri defined his Wellness concept: a lifestyle based on regular physical activity, balanced diet and a positive outlook. From this moment on Wellness became the foundation of the Technogym philosophy and the tagline “The Wellness Company” was added to the corporate logo. In 2001 Alessandri was nominated “Cavaliere del Lavoro” by the President of the Italian RepublicCarlo Azeglio Ciampi, which made him the youngest-ever holder of this title in Italian history. In November 2003 he was named Italian “Entrepreneur of the Year 2003” and then represented Italy at the “World Entrepreneur of the Year”. In March 2004 he was elected to the Association of Italian Industrialists Board of Directors and this mandate was renewed in 2008 for the next four years. In April 2004 he received an honorary degree from the Faculty of Motor Sciences at the University of Urbino. In November 2004 he was presented the Leonardo Award for Italian Quality by the President of the Italian Republic. In February 2009 he was nominated Vice President of the Leonardo Committee, an association that promotes Italian quality and the image of Italy throughout the world.
Wellness is a lifestyle based on regular physical activity, balanced diet and a positive outlook, first defined by Nerio Alessandri in the early 90s. The concept of Wellness is founded on the ancient Roman maximum of mens sana in corpore sano and is a genuine alternative to the American concept of fitness. Fitness focuses on a small group of sports enthusiasts, whereas Wellness speaks to a much wider range of people who wish to improve their lifestyle.
Wellness Foundation
In 2003 the Wellness Foundation was established. This no profit association supports scientific research, health education and the promotion of a Wellness lifestyle. The Foundation operates with specific projects in the sphere of health, instruction, research, art and culture. The Foundation also promotes the Wellness Congress, an event for promoting and raising awareness of wellness issues.
Technogym
Nerio Alessandri is the Technogym President and CEO. Today, Technogym is in the Fitness and Wellness sector and claims approximately 55,000 installations worldwide in 35,000 wellness centres and 20,000 private homes. Technogym estimates that approximately 40 million people use its products every day. The company has 2000 employees in 13 branches in Europe, the United States, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and South America and 90% of its turnover is made up of exports sent to over 100 different countries. Its revenues are 350M in 2010. This company was the exclusive and official supplier for the athletes training centers at the last 4 editions of the Olympic Games since Sydney 2000 to Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and will be the same for London 2012 Olympics. The firm currently stands at about €2.2 billion and has seen the share price rise by 156% since it became listed on the Milan Stock Exchange in May 2016.
Other entrepreneurial experiences
At the beginning of 2003 Alessandri became a shareholder in Enervit, a company in the sports nutrition sector. In 2006 he purchased a 4% stake in Starpool, a company based in Trentino specialised in the design and construction of health spas.
Publications
In 2001 Alessandri published the book “Wellness. Scegli di vivere bene” the manual-manifesto of the Wellness philosophy. In 2005 Technogym and Nerio Alessandri featured in the Italian edition of Blue Ocean Strategy<, the Chan Kim – Mauborgne best seller. Featured in the 2007 publication Soft Economy, Technogym was a case study in sound and flexible Italian enterprise that represents the best ofMade in Italy. In the same year he edited the publication “Wellness-Storia e Cultura del vivere bene” , a volume that defines the historical and conceptual path of "wellness" through twelve essays written by Italian and international academics. In 2008, the book “A Successful Life Begins with Wellness” was published in China.
