Yves Preissler
Company: Yves Preissler Business Consulting
Position: Founder
Bio
Yves Preissler is the Founder and CEO of YP Business Consulting, an international advisory firm specializing in the strategic, commercial, and operational development of fitness, wellness, recovery, and sports environments within hospitality, branded residential, private members' clubs, and mixed-use developments.
With over 25 years of international experience across the Middle East, Europe, the US, India, East Africa, and Asia, Yves advises hotel owners, developers, investors, and operators on integrating fitness and wellness into their properties in ways that strengthen market positioning, enhance guest and resident experiences, and support long-term commercial and operational performance.
His expertise extends across the development lifecycle, from market assessment, concept positioning, and commercial feasibility to spatial and functional planning, facility programming, equipment strategy, operational development, and pre-opening preparation. His approach connects the ambitions of owners and developers with the practical requirements of delivering, managing, and sustaining successful facilities.
A defining part of his hospitality experience was co-developing SIRO, the fitness and lifestyle hotel concept by Kerzner International, which brings together fitness, recovery, wellbeing, and hospitality into an integrated guest experience.
Through YP Business Consulting, Yves has contributed to more than 150 projects internationally, spanning luxury hospitality, premium fitness and wellness destinations, private clubs, residential developments, and large-scale fitness operations. Working alongside an international team of specialists, he supports clients from early strategic decisions through design development, operational planning, and implementation.
Unlike advisors whose experience is limited to consulting, Yves brings direct ownership and operational experience. He founded and developed AFROFIT, a multi-location fitness business in Kenya, building its operating structure, teams, and systems before its sale. His experience across advisory and operating environments gives him a practical understanding of investment decisions, operating economics, customer expectations, staffing, service delivery, and long-term business performance.
His work is guided by a clear principle: successful fitness and wellness environments must deliver more than attractive facilities or compelling concepts. They must be commercially justified, operationally effective, relevant to their markets, and able to create lasting value for owners, operators, guests, and members.
Mission Statement
At YP Business Consulting, our philosophy is grounded in Acta Non Verba — actions, not words.
We believe that successful advisory goes beyond ideas, presentations, and recommendations. It requires sound commercial judgment, practical operating experience, and the ability to translate strategy into environments and businesses that perform.
Our mission is to help owners, developers, investors, and operators create commercially viable, operationally effective, and enduring fitness, wellness, recovery, and sports destinations. From standalone businesses to luxury hospitality, branded residences, private members' clubs, and mixed-use developments, we connect strategic ambition with the realities of development, investment, guest experience, and daily operations.
We approach every engagement with an owner's mindset, challenge assumptions, make informed decisions, and take responsibility for the quality and practicality of our advice. Our recommendations are shaped not only by what is desirable, but by what is financially justified, operationally achievable, and relevant to the people who will ultimately use these environments.
We measure the value of our work by what it enables our clients to achieve: better investment decisions, stronger market positioning, more effective operations, meaningful guest and member experiences, and sustainable long-term commercial performance.
Acta Non Verba is not simply our philosophy. It defines the standard against which we expect our work to be judged.
Geographic Areas
YP Business Consulting operates internationally, with extensive experience across the Middle East, the US, Europe, Africa, India, and Asia-Pacific. Our advisory services support hotel owners, hospitality operators, real estate developers, investors, and private club operators across established and emerging markets, with particular expertise in the GCC, luxury hospitality destinations, and mixed-use developments.
Expertise
Strategic Advisory & Concept Development
- Hospitality Fitness, Wellness & Recovery Integration – Strategically integrating fitness, wellness, recovery, and sports facilities into hotels, resorts, branded residences, and mixed-use developments.
- Fitness, Wellness & Recovery Concept Development – Development of differentiated concepts aligned with market demand, target audiences, property positioning, and commercial objectives.
- Mixed-Use & Lifestyle Destination Development – Planning integrated fitness, wellness, sports, and social environments within residential, hospitality, and lifestyle destinations.
- Market Research & Commercial Feasibility – Competitive assessments, demand analysis, market positioning, revenue opportunities, operating assumptions, and investment considerations.
- Brand Strategy & Market Differentiation – Defining concept identity, customer positioning, service propositions, and competitive advantages.
Development, Design & Technical Advisory
- Fitness & Wellness Facility Planning – Functional planning, space allocation, facility sizing, capacity assessment, and optimization of available areas.
- Architectural & Interior Design Advisory – Specialist operational and technical guidance to architects and designers, ensuring facilities are functional, efficient, and aligned with the intended guest or member experience.
- Fitness, Sports & Recovery Equipment Strategy – Equipment selection, specifications, procurement advisory, supplier evaluation, and capital expenditure optimization.
- Guest & Member Experience Design – Development of customer journeys, service touchpoints, facility experiences, and integrated hospitality programming.
- Technical Design Review & Development Coordination – Reviewing layouts, design proposals, technical requirements, and operational implications throughout project development.
Commercial & Operational Advisory
- Fitness & Wellness Business Strategy – Develop business models, commercial positioning, pricing strategies, revenue structures, and long-term operating considerations.
- Operational Planning & Management Advisory – Operating models, organizational structures, staffing requirements, service standards, policies, procedures, and performance management.
- Pre-Opening & Operational Readiness – Recruitment planning, operating systems, service development, team preparation, and launch readiness.
- Recruitment, Leadership & Team Development – Organizational planning, key personnel selection, leadership development, and operational team structures.
- Operational Performance & Business Optimization – Assessing and improving existing facilities, operating efficiency, service delivery, commercial performance, and member retention.
Ownership, Growth & Specialist Expertise
- Fitness Business Ownership & Scaling – Direct experience developing, operating, expanding, and managing multi-location fitness businesses.
- Premium Fitness & Boutique Studio Development – Concept development and operational advisory for premium clubs, specialist studios, and performance-oriented fitness environments.
- Private Members' Clubs & Lifestyle Facilities – Strategic planning of integrated fitness, wellness, sports, recovery, and social facilities within membership-based environments.
- Franchise & Multi-Site Development – Standardizing business models, building operating systems, assessing scalability, and developing multi-location growth strategies.
- Sports, Performance & Recovery Programming – Development of integrated fitness, athletic performance, recovery, and wellbeing offerings tailored to specific customer and property requirements.
Professional Memberships
- International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC)
Speaking Engagements
International Speaking Engagements & Industry Leadership
- FIBO Global Fitness – Longevity & Hospitality Summit (2025–2026): Co-curator of the inaugural Longevity & Hospitality Summit (2025) and member of the international advisory board for the 2026 summit. Contributing to discussions on the convergence of hospitality, longevity, fitness, wellness, recovery, guest experience, and new commercial opportunities for hotel owners, operators, and investors.
- FIBO Arabia – Riyadh (2026): Industry speaker addressing the evolving relationship between fitness, wellbeing, commercial performance, and hospitality, with a focus on sustainable business models and the opportunities emerging across the Middle East.
- Beyond Activ Asia (2026): Panel speaker on Wellness by Considerate Design, examining how hospitality and wellness operators can create, curate, and deliver high-performance, locally relevant wellness experiences.
- Beyond Activ EMEA: Speaker contributing perspectives on fitness and wellness development, operational strategy, industry evolution, and the commercial opportunities emerging across international markets.
- We Work Well – W3Fit: Industry participant and contributor in an international network connecting senior fitness, wellness, and hospitality executives, focused on concept development, operating models, and industry collaboration.
Selected Podcast & Media Appearances
- Five-Star Fitness by The Fit Guide (2026): What the Fitness Industry Can Learn from Luxury Hospitality. A discussion on translating luxury hospitality principles into fitness operations, including personalized service, customer experience, member retention, and building long-term customer relationships.
- Fitness + Technology Podcast with Bryan O'Rourke (2026): The Business of Fitness: Building What Lasts.Exploring the strategic and operational foundations of successful fitness and wellness businesses, including commercial discipline, leadership, and sustainable development.
- LIFTS Podcast with Matthew Januszek (2024): Sustainability & AI Workouts – The Gym of the Future.Examining how technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and changing customer expectations will shape future fitness and wellness environments.
- Fitness Business Asia Podcast with Jack Thomas (2021): Actions, Not Words. Discussing entrepreneurship, international fitness development, operational leadership, and the practical realities of building and managing fitness businesses across diverse markets.
Representative List of Clients
Luxury Hospitality & Resorts
- Kerzner International – SIRO Hotels | International
- Aman Hotels & Resorts | International
- The Ritz-Carlton | Bahrain, Switzerland
- Angama – Maasai Mara & Amboseli | Kenya
- Baur Au Lac | Zurich, Switzerland
Luxury Real Estate & Destination Developments
- Royal Commission for AlUla | Saudi Arabia
- INHABIT – Distinguished Real Estate | Dubai, UAE
- Eden House | Dubai, UAE
Private Members' Clubs & Premium Wellness Destinations
- IKO House – Private Wellness & Social Club | Hyderabad, India
- CORE Investments / CORE Life | Saudi Arabia
- Edenhall – Social Wellness Club | Abuja, Nigeria
Premium Fitness & Performance Concepts
- The Platform Studios | Dubai, UAE
- Bitta Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Adlib Performance | Bangkok, Thailand
