Mark Vella

As developer, owner and Managing Director of MASSAGE ON THE BEACH (MOTB), Dr Mark Vella N.D. has more than 19 years of skill, experience and qualification in healthcare.

As one of South Africa’s foremost wellness innovators and authorities, his skill lies in being able successfully commercialise wellness,  adding value to all stakeholders, whilst remaining to true to the fundamental principles of health. He regards himself as conscious capitalist, an entrepreneur and a servant leader.

Mark is a thought leader in the integration of medicine, wellbeing and the transforming needs of our society. He is passionate about the role that health practitioners of all types have to play in creating a well, sustainable society.

By profession, he is a Naturopath, registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of Southern Africa (AHPCSA). Mark has a Business Management Honours from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town. He has also completed further postgraduate studies in Western Medicine.

Mark has a unique and eclectic range of educational experience with over 10 recognised qualifications in natural medicine, business management, personal training and exercise science, lifestyle counselling, weight management consultation, therapeutic bodywork and professional writing.

His corporate experience includes Woolworths, the FIVB World Volleyball Tour, SA National Cricket team, Telkom, Brandhouse, and SA Breweries. Socially, he has offered his services to the Childline Tower Project, the Wild Child Run, at the Berg River Canoe Marathon and on Corporate retreats at the Breed River camp, ‘Walkabout’. Additionally, Mark has held professional relations with Men’s Health, SHAPE magazine, McGraw Hill/ New Holland publishers, Exercise Teachers Academy, Varsity College.

Mark started MOTB in 2002, which has grown to 3 sites on South Africa’s busiest beaches. In 2005, he started the not-for-profit Hand-up Hands-on Apprenticeship   Program, which offers free business skills education to trainees working at MOTB.

As far back as 1992, Mark, pioneered the first successful wellness and personal centres in Cape Town for the Health and Racquet Group (now Virgin Active).  Currently, he is the Natural Medical Director of the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (ILM) which he founded in 2005.

The ILM’s future charter will be to promote wellness and the role of ‘lifestyle as medicine’ in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment to the medical, corporate and consumer markets.

Mark is the author of several wellness programs and qualifications.

He co-authored the world’s first internet and call centre protocol database in Natural Medicine and has two top selling books to his name. Combined, these have sold over 150 000 copies in the USA, UK and Europe and have been translated into 7 languages.

Mark is a regular lecturer, consultant and guest speaker.