Former ESPA director of spa development Paula Perkins has launched a new spa consultancy, based near London.

Paula Perkins Spa Consultancy (PPSC) will provide services for the creation and development of new facilities, working alongside architects and interior designers and providing essential guidance for a refurbishment. As well as this PPSC will assist with the pre-opening and training requirements for a new launch and reviewing existing businesses’ strategies and ways to improve ongoing performance.

Initially, the company will focus on the UK and Europe, however, Perkins told Spa Opportunities: “I would be open to any location dependent on the project.”

Perkins, who describes herself as having been “intrigued by health, wellbeing and beauty probably as early as the age of three or four”, has been in the industry since 1987, when she studied health and beauty. She followed this by studying aromatherapy, reflexology, advanced massage and numerous training courses in industry brands during her time as a practising therapist, senior therapist and spa director in the UK, Dubai and Bermuda.

Perkins joined ESPA International in 1998 as part of its spa consultancy team and has held many roles and responsibilities since, from creating and developing new spas to pre-opening, recruiting and guiding existing operations.

Perkins told Spa Opportunities the projects she’s most proud of at ESPA are The Spa at Corinthia London, Gleneagles and Grand Hotel Tremezzo.