Jeppe Tengbjerg Founder & CEO, International Massage Association (IMA)

Who is Jeppe?

You are widely regarded within the massage community as its "good father"  the figure who has guided and supported this world for years. Looking back, what first led you to found the International Massage Association?

I founded the International Massage Association (IMA) with the vision of creating a global platform for knowledge sharing within the massage profession through competitions, articles, podcasts, and masterclasses.

 In your own words, what is the mission that drives IMA today, and how has that mission evolved since the very first World Championship in Massage?

Beyond sharing knowledge and inspiring the global massage community, it also became important to preserve and strengthen the international network and sense of community that had been created across borders.

Our mission has always been to create value for everyone involved in the massage profession including massage therapists, massage educators, massage schools, massage associations, and massage equipment suppliers while increasing global awareness and recognition of massage as a respected profession.

We achieve this in many ways, but above all through the World Championship in Massage, which brings together professionals from around the world to learn, connect, compete, and celebrate excellence in massage.

 Over the years, you've built far more than a single competition from the World Championship to the International Massage Teacher Certification, the Masterclasses at IMA Academy, and your own Massage School offering training in massage therapy, acupuncture, and reflexology. How do all these initiatives connect to one single vision for the profession?

All of our initiatives are driven by one common goal: to raise professional standards across every area of the massage profession.

That is why it is essential not only to analyze the effects of massage on the body's physiology, but also to understand physiology from both Western and Asian perspectives. By embracing these different approaches, we can build a broader, more comprehensive understanding of how massage influences the human body and continue to advance the profession on a global level.

 The World Championship in Massage has just concluded its 9th edition in Copenhagen. Looking back at this journey, what moment or edition stands out to you as a true turning point for the event?

One of the most memorable moments was when we played a verse of The Viking Song. It was truly incredible to see an auditorium filled with people from 59 different countries come together and sing in unison. It perfectly captured the spirit of friendship, unity, and the international community that defines the World Championship in Massage.

This year, we also made several adjustments to the event program. For example, we moved one of the award ceremonies to a different day, creating a better flow throughout the championship. In addition, we introduced eight educational workshops, giving participants even more opportunities to learn, exchange knowledge, and network with colleagues from around the world.

These changes proved to be highly successful and added significant value to the overall event experience.

 Bringing together therapists from so many different countries and traditions inevitably means bringing together very different techniques and philosophies. How do you personally approach building a competition that can fairly represent such diversity?

Of course, this is also a challenge. The International Massage Association (IMA) has invested significant time in educating and training its judges. Many of them have judged the World Championship multiple times and have also served as judges at other IMA championships around the world.

There are several massage methods that we would like to recognize with their own dedicated competition categories. However, we will introduce these categories only when there are enough participants representing those methods to ensure fair and meaningful competition.

 What do you consider the most important quality a judge must have when evaluating therapists from such varied backgrounds and schools?

The most important qualities a judge must have are extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, as well as the ability to analyse massage techniques and understand their effects on the human body. A judge must also recognise that massage can serve many different purposes and approaches, depending on the method, intention, and desired outcome.

 Looking Ahead: 10 Years of IMA

2027 will mark ten years of IMA a truly significant anniversary. What does reaching this milestone represent for you, both personally and for the wider massage community?

It is quite exciting that we will celebrate our 10-year anniversary next year. It is especially meaningful for everyone who has been involved from the very beginning (my Danish team).

For me personally, however, the anniversary itself is less important. What matters most is that IMA continues to create value and make a positive impact for many years to come. The 10-year anniversary is just a milestone along the journey a small pit stop, not the final destination.

 Looking back at a decade of work, what would you say has changed the most in how the industry views massage as a profession and what still needs to change?

When we started promoting the first World Championship in Massage, we faced a great deal of resistance. Perhaps up to 90% of people were against the idea in the beginning, even though we always presented it as an event focused on sharing knowledge, learning from each other, and inspiring the development of massage worldwide.

Today, the situation is completely different. Maybe only 1–2% still oppose the idea or have not yet understood the true purpose behind the massage competition.

It was a challenging period, but it taught me a great deal about people, communication, and what it takes to introduce and explain ideas that are new or controversial. I learned that creating change requires patience, persistence, and the ability to communicate the vision clearly.

 If you had to describe, in a single message, what you hope the next ten years of IMA will bring to the profession, what would it be?

IMA is already doing what is needed. My hope is that, over time, we will be able to reach more countries where people do not speak English or where participation is challenging due to visa restrictions or economic difficulties.

IMA must also play a role in creating equal opportunities. For example, we will continue to organize the World Championship in Massage as a hybrid championship, ensuring that it is not only accessible to participants from wealthy countries with good travel opportunities.

IMA should be an organization for all massage therapists around the world regardless of their language, location, or financial situation.

Over the years, IMA has built strong relationships with organizations and events across the world, including in Italy, where Daniela Caracciuolo has long supported IMA's mission. What does it mean to you to see this network of trust and collaboration continue to grow internationally?

It makes me happy every time IMA continues to develop and establishes new, valuable collaborations, such as the Italian Massage Contest. Together, we can support each other, share knowledge, and grow as a community.

Our mission must remain clear, genuine, and focused without hidden agendas or other interests.

What advice would you give to a new generation of event organizers and therapists who look up to IMA as a reference point for this profession?

My advice to new hosts: Be very mindful that your event must create real value for the participants. Keep things simple in the beginning and focus on building a strong foundation.

Many people try to make things bigger and more complicated than necessary. Always keep your focus on the purpose and the true mission of your event.