The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has announced that Victor Koo, chair of Heyi Holdings and co-founder of Tianren Culture, will join its advisory board.

Koo previously founded and served as chair and CEO of Youku – a popular Chinese video streaming service.

His current focus is investing and supporting social innovation initiatives that promote health and sustainability for the planet and its inhabitants.

Heyi Holdings, which Koo founded in 2005, focuses on disruptive innovation and social impact investments in the areas of health, genomics and food.

In addition, Tianren Culture, which he co-founded in 2016, is a next-generation social platform that acts as a catalyst to foster positive global values and lifestyles.

As an early strategic partner of GWI’s The Wellness Moonshot, Tianren Culture disseminates important messages on eradicating preventable, chronic disease on WeChat, the largest social media platform in mainland China.

“Victor has long been an advocate for positive change and committed to global wellness," remarked Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of GWI.

"His insights and contributions to GWI’s Wellness Moonshot have helped us better understand and reach the vast Chinese market.

“One of our goals in 2021 is to extend our board’s global representation, and I can’t think of a better partner than Victor to help us make a difference in Asia.”

In 2019, Koo spoke at the 2019 Global Wellness Summit on ‘China Rising: Understanding/Decoding the World's Biggest Market.’

Koo’s Tianren Culture works with funders, NGOs and business partners to put in place high-impact, effective social innovation initiatives to improve physical health and reduce factory-farmed animal protein consumption and production by promoting flexitarian diets and food innovation such as plant-based, fermentation and cell-based technologies.

Tianren also supports scientific research and promotes meditation and breathwork practices to improve mental and emotional wellness.

“Physical and mental wellness are critical aspects of our lives, and the GWI has been at the forefront of leading research and building a global community around this pivotal area during this time of uncertainty and innovation potential,” said Koo.

“I’m excited to join the board to contribute to this important cause.”

In his new role, Koo will help amplify the GWI’s mission of empowering wellness worldwide by facilitating collaboration, providing global research and insight, triggering innovation, and advocating for growth and sustainability, and contributing to the development of the organisation’s five pillars: research, initiatives, roundtable discussions, WellnessEvidence.com and The Wellness Moonshot.

Koo joins an esteemed board of industry luminaries, including:

– Jeffrey Abramson - partner, The Tower Companies, US– Alexia Brue - co-founder, Well+Good, US

– Dr Richard Carmona - Canyon Ranch chief of health innovation, 17th surgeon general of the US, US– Nancy Davis - chief creative officer and executive director, GWI, US

– Pierre-Louis Delapalme - co-chair, Biologique Recherche, France– Susie Ellis - Chair and CEO, GWI, US

– Michelle Floh - CEO, R&J Abramson Foundation, US– Melisse Gelula - wellness entrepreneur and co-founder of Well+Good, US

– Sue Harmsworth - founder and owner, Sue Harmsworth Ltd, UK– John Kao - serial innovator, thought leader and best-selling author, US

– Mia Kyricos - president and CEO, Kyricos & Associates LLC, US– Renee Moorefield, PhD - CEO, Wisdom Works, US

– Laurie Racine - CEO and founder, LifeSquare, US– Dr Michael Roizen - chief wellness officer, Cleveland Clinic, US

– Rupert Schmid - co-president, Biologique Recherche, France– Rick Stollmeyer - co-founder and executive chair, Mindbody, US

– Richard Woltman - chair emeritus, Girard Securities, US