Spafinder Wellness has appointed Mia Kyricos to the newly created position of chief brand officer.

Kyricos will lead the company’s worldwide branding initiatives and oversee marketing, advertising, public relations, industry and consumer relations, social media and digital strategy, research and internal communications.

Prior to her appointment, Kyricos was president of Kyricos & Associates, advisors to the global spa, wellness and hospitality industries, and has worked with Spafinder Wellness on developing its brand evolution over the last year. Roll-out of the new brand will start in Q4.

Kyricos was previously vice president of Core Performance, overseeing the operation of corporate wellness centres, fitness and related initiatives at Fortune 500 companies.

CEO of Spafinder Wellness, Pete Ellis, said: "With her strong background and education in hospitality, wellness and brand marketing, Mia brings an incredible wealth of knowledge to Spafinder Wellness. She's a perfect fit for the future direction of our company.

"A huge plus is the respect she's earned from executives around the world, and she'll be a tremendous asset as we continue to grow our global position."

Kyricos added: “Nothing means more to me than helping people live well and feel their best. Spafinder Wellness is where I can fulfil this passion.”

With over 20 years' experience in the hospitality industry, Kyricos has served as director of global spa brands and programming at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, where she led spa development, operations and marketing for seven years and spearheaded the creation of six international spa brands.

She holds a masters in hospitality administration from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. She sits on the boards of the Global Spa & Wellness Summit and the University of California Irvine spa and hospitality management programme.