Chinese operator SOKO Fitness & Spa Group has appointed Colin Sung to its board of directors.

Sung will take up a role as an independent director and chair of SOKO's audit committee. He joins SOKO from telecoms and entertainment company Linktone, where he was chief financial officer and deputy chief executive.

Sung will replace Gideon Kory, who is resigning from SOKO's board to pursue other interests.

SOKO is currently expanding its reach in the Chinese spa market. It recently opened two new facilities in the north-eastern Chinese city of Harbin: Daoli Fitness and the Legend Spa Central Club. It also entered the Beijing market at the end of 2009 through the acquisition of a majority interest in two local fitness centres.

The group is due to open its fourth site in Beijing, in the Westin Chaoyang hotel, with the company predicting further co-operations with hotel chains in the future.