Nerio Alessandri

My name is Nerio Alessandri. I’m an Italian entrepreneur, President and founder of Technogym.

In 1983 as a 22-year-old industrial designer, I combined my design skills with my passion for sport to found Technogym by building the first piece of exercise equipment in the garage of my home.

After 30 years, I remain the President and CEO of Technogym, which today is a world leader in the Fitness and Wellness solutions sector, boasting approximately 55,000 installations in 65,000 wellness centres and 100,000 private homes worldwide. Estimates suggest that approximately 20 million people use Technogym products every day. The company has 2,200 employees across 14 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.

This company was the exclusive and official supplier for training centres for athletes at the last four editions of the Olympic Games, from Sydney 2000 to London 2012.

Technogym and I both espouse the concept of Wellness. Wellness is a lifestyle based on regular physical activity, balanced diet and a positive mental outlook, first defined by myself in the early nineties. The concept of Wellness is founded on the ancient Roman maxim of mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body) and is a genuine alternative to the 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.

In 2003 I established the Wellness Foundation, a non-profit association that supports scientific research, health education and the promotion of a Wellness lifestyle. The Foundation conducts specific projects in the spheres of health, instruction, research, art and culture – all of which are devoted to improving people’s quality of life.