Cesar Carvalho: Wellhub Turns Corporate Wellness Into a Business KPI
If you’d like to join me – and peers – for deeper conversations on innovation and leadership, get on this list for Fortt Knox Executive Communities, launching soon: mba.fortt.com.
This is an AI-assisted summary of my Fortt Knox Update with Wellhub CEO Cesar Carvalho. View the full interview here:
In this Fortt Knox Update, Jon Fortt speaks with Cesar Carvalho, CEO of Wellhub, about how corporate wellness is evolving from a perk into a strategic business imperative powered increasingly by data and AI.
Carvalho frames early January as the “Black Friday of wellness,” when usage across Wellhub’s global network spikes as employees act on New Year’s resolutions. The real challenge, he says, is sustaining those habits beyond the initial surge. Wellhub’s approach centers on access and personalization: a single membership that unlocks gyms, studios, and wellness apps worldwide, combined with AI-driven recommendations that help users find routines they actually enjoy and stick with.
AI plays a dual role on the platform. First, it acts as a concierge, guiding users through a complex ecosystem of hundreds of activities and apps, especially when traveling or relocating. Second, it functions as a personalized wellness coach, tailoring workouts, recovery, and routines to individual preferences and goals. Nutrition, sleep, and physical activity are treated as an integrated loop, supported through partnerships with apps like MyFitnessPal and Lifesum, where usage is growing rapidly with new dietary guidelines and increased adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
On the enterprise side, Carvalho notes a clear shift: Wellness is now a board-level KPI tied to engagement, burnout, and even stock performance. Strategically, Wellhub is expanding global access, now offering 100,000 locations worldwide. At the same time, it’s helping employers consolidate costly, low-utilization point solutions into a single, high-engagement platform. The company is also using AI to unlock new growth, enabling efficient service for smaller businesses while accelerating overall expansion.
“Well-being is moving away from being just a perk… to becoming a real business imperative. When companies see positive return from these programs, it’s no longer an expense—it’s an investment that shows up in engagement, performance, and ultimately results.”
Highlights
Early January drives the highest annual wellness usage across Wellhub’s network
AI helps users navigate a complex ecosystem of fitness, wellness, and nutrition options
Personalized recommendations are key to sustaining long-term habits
Nutrition, sleep, and activity are treated as a single virtuous cycle
Usage of nutrition apps is rising alongside new dietary guidelines and GLP-1 adoption
Wellhub surpassed 1 billion lifetime check-ins, up from 100 million three years ago
Strength and mobility training are growing fastest, tied to longevity trends
Employers now view wellness as a board-level KPI, not a checkbox benefit
Global expansion enables access to 100,000 locations worldwide
AI is helping Wellhub serve smaller employers efficiently while accelerating growth
If you’d like to join me – and peers – for deeper conversations on innovation and leadership, get on this list for Fortt Knox Executive Communities, launching soon: mba.fortt.com.