ACS 2025 SPEAKERS
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
With inspiring stories, valuable insights, and a unique perspective on the future of the sport, our speaker will bring a compelling and thought-provoking discussion you won’t want to miss.
Patrick Andrey
Managing Director Stretchmarks Asia
Patrick Andrey is a business developer of Camp5 Climbing Gym and Managing Director of SMA, representing Walltopia in the Asia Pacific Region.​ For over 4 decades he has been involved in the climbing industry as an athlete, route developer, coach, instructor, designer and wall builder.
In 2000 he moved to Kuala Lumpur where he opened a factory for his Swiss company BLOCX. In 2005 he co-founded Camp5 as a gym franchise catered for the specific characteristics of the Asian market.
Niklas Wiechmann spent most of his childhood in the woods or his parents´climbing gym, where he started setting when he was a teenager. His passion for climbing led him to quit university and took him out of Germany to London, Singapore and even Australia, where he lived from 2017 – 2019. Before that he co-founded two bouldering gyms in Germany, set training camps & comps on an international level and discovered a new love for filming. He returned to Germany in August 2019 and still travels around the world. As part of Beta Routesetting he sets, hosts workshops, records & edits videos, and published behind-the-scenes Climbing World Cup reports – always with a cup of tea in hand.
Routesetter & Founder of Beta Routesetting
Niklas Wiechmann
Patrice is a co-owner and Director at Boulder Planet Southeast Asia, a lifestyle climbing gym brand with locations in Singapore, Bangkok, and Jakarta. Having worked in the climbing industry since 2013, Patrice has risen through various roles—from entry-level to management—at gyms that were pioneers in their fields, such as Onsight Climbing Gym, Singapore's first indoor climbing gym with top-rope and lead climbing, and Boulder Movement, one of the first bouldering gyms in Singapore designed for urban professionals.
Patrice Verosil
Co-owner and Director at Boulder Planet
Senior Rock Climbing Coach Head Of China Team
LuYuan Cai
LuYuan Cai Senior Rock Climbing Coach Head of the coaching team of the National Rock Climbing Team during the Tokyo Olympic cycle Former head coach of the national team and the national youth team IFSC Level 3 International Route Setter Lecturer of the Chinese Route Setter Training Courses Lecturer of Rock Climbing with National Vocational Qualifications Lecturer of Rock Climbing Coaches of the Chinese Mountaineering Association GRST Lecturer / GCS Lecture.
Wafiy Razak is a skilled routesetter and climbing movement specialist, dedicated to crafting routes that challenge and inspire. Since 2019, he has built his career around the idea that routesetting is more than just creating problems—it’s a way to guide climbers toward better technique, problem-solving, and adaptability.
As the Head Routesetter at Batuu Climbing Gym, Malaysia, Wafiy is responsible for designing a diverse range of climbs that cater to different skill levels, ensuring that every route offers both aesthetic appeal and meaningful progression. His setting philosophy prioritizes creativity, engagement, and the balance between fun and difficulty, making climbing accessible while still pushing limits.
With a strong belief in routesetting as a tool for learning and growth, Wafiy continues to evolve his craft, bringing fresh ideas to the climbing scene and contributing to the development of a more dynamic climbing culture in Malaysia.
WAFIY RAZAK
Batuu Climbing Gym Route Setter
Founder of Lighthouse Climbing
​
Tan Shi Hui is a pioneering route setter and gym owner shaping the future of climbing in Asia. As an IFSC competition route setter, she has set for high-level events, balancing creativity and difficulty to challenge elite athletes. However, her impact extends beyond competitions—she is also a leading voice in commercial route setting, helping gyms create engaging and accessible experiences for climbers of all levels.
As the founder of Lighthouse Climbing, Shi Hui has firsthand experience in designing routes that keep climbers coming back. She understands the importance of commercial route setting trends, from movement-based problems that encourage creativity to set designs that cater to diverse abilities and demographics. Her approach blends modern training principles with the business needs of climbing gyms, ensuring routes are not just fun but also support retention, progression, and community building.
Shi Hui
IFSC Competition Route Setter & Founder, Lighthouse Climbing
Founder and General Manager of The Edge
Makki Alkurdi
Makki is the Founder and General Manager of The Edge, home to Saudi Arabia’s first indoor climbing wall. What began as a humble endeavor has grown into a mission to develop and promote climbing across the Kingdom, introducing the countless benefits of this exciting and rewarding sport. Despite facing numerous challenges, Makki and The Edge remain steadfast in their commitment to growing the climbing community locally. Recently, the organization has adopted a more strategic approach to overcome the barriers hindering the sport's development, paving the way for a brighter future for climbing in Saudi Arabia.
Head of Sales - Climbing WALLTOPIA
Vasil Sharlanov
Vasil Sharlanov has one of the fastest career paths in the company. He joined Walltopia right after he completed his Master in Architecture as a junior architect. He knew little of climbing but after spending an academic year in the States, he was positive about the potential indoor climbing has. His passion for design & architecture along with his inner motivation to exceed expectations and always go a step further in his work - on internal projects and with clients, resulted in his promotion to Head of the Design & Architecture Department in 2013, a year after he joined the team. In 2018 Vasil went a step further - becoming Walltopia Global Sales Director for Climbing.
Banana Shanghai Regional manager
KK
With over five years of experience managing climbing gyms across Zhuhai and Shanghai KK has played a key role in achieving top local rankings and growing daily check-ins to 300 at a 500m² facility. His expertise spans operations, route setting, and marketing, successfully overseeing three gyms and leading a team of 20+ staff across two cities. As an advanced climber (5.14b/V10+), he brings both professional management skills and firsthand climbing experience to the industry.
​
Scotty Pritchard
Scotty has spent over 20 years climbing on rock and plastic across the globe, proudly representing Australia at the World Youth Championships. Transitioning into open competitions, he soon discovered his true passion - route setting. Dedicated to pushing the sport forward, Scotty has worked alongside top setters worldwide, refining his craft to deliver world-class experiences for athletes and gym members alike. Now an IFSC Level 2 Route Setter, Australian National Head Setter and Assessor, and Head Setter at Urban Climbing Blackburn Lead Facility, he also leads national team workshops and continues to shape the international climbing scene through his expertise.
Australian National Head Routesetter
NIU Gang
NIU Gang, a seasoned climber with 15 years of experience, spent years thriving in the tech industry. In 2017, he boldly followed his passion, pivoting to the world of climbing to establish AGHOLDS, a climbing hold brand, and ROCKPLUS, a chain of climbing gyms. Committed to nurturing young competitive climbers, he channels his expertise and boundless enthusiasm into advancing the sport, inspiring more people to discover the joy of climbing
Founder of AGHOLDS and ROCKPLUS Climbing Gym
Andy Nelson
Andy is a hold shaper, route setter and owner of method grips. With almost 3 decades of climbing experience, Andy combines his passion for the sport with a keen eye for innovation. He creates unique holds intended to enhance climbers’ experiences while helping to both challenge and develop their skills. Known for his creative yet functional designs, Andy actively collaborates with other world class shapers to push the boundaries of indoor climbing. Andy also shares his route setting expertise by teaching clinics and guest setting in gyms worldwide. When not wielding shaping tools or an impact driver, Andy is known to frequent live concerts. He will also never say no to a good craft beer.
Owner at Method Grips
Christoph Bastin is the founder of The Bouldering Hive in the Philippines. He grew up in the outskirts of Munich, Germany and started climbing outdoors at the age of 5. After finishing his environmental engineering degree in Innsbruck, he worked 4 years for ArtRock climbing walls in Austria. Together with his wife, he moved to her hometown in Metro Manila and opened their first bouldering gym in 2019. Luckily, the business survived the pandemic despite only opening 6 months before. In 2024, a second location was established in San Juan, Manila. Both gyms have been serving and growing the Filipino climbing community. Planning for a 3rd and larger gym has just started.
Christoph Bastin
Founder of The Bouldering Hive in the Philippines
Kenneth Ng Choon Kiat is the founder of Project Send, a leading bouldering gym in Singapore known for blending climbing, fitness, and culture. With over a decade of experience across marketing, tech, and entrepreneurship, Ken has helped redefine how climbing gyms engage and grow their communities through digital innovation. His background spans brand building, event design, and business development, with a focus on creating tech-enabled, highly marketable experiences. At the Asian Climbing Summit, Ken brings his insights on how marketing strategies and digital tools can transform gym operations, community building, and growth.
Kenneth Ng Choon Kiat
Founder of Project Send
Joseph Hoffmann is a former competitive climber and 8c climber who turned to route setting in 2009, turning his passion into a career. After thousands of days of route setting in climbing gyms around the globe, he founded "bluepill" (climbing holds) and "Kletterkultur" (distribution) in 2014 – a brand for climbing gym products and a full-service distribution company for holds, system boards, wall and mat construction, and complete facility planning.
With his broad expertise, Joseph has planned and built climbing gyms not only in Germany but worldwide – as far away as Australia. He adapts each project to the local conditions, bringing his experience as a climber, routesetter, and gym operator to bear. His focus is on routesetting in all its facets (technical, passionate, economic, etc.) – a passion that he also manifests in his own "Element Boulders" gyms.
Joseph Hoffmann
Founder of Element Boulders
Jerome Garcin has been developing climbing in Asia and Oceania over the last 20 years.
He served as the General Manager of Entre-prises Climbing Walls Asia until 2018 and subsequently co-founded Kastline.
Established in 2020, Kastline specializes in manufacturing PU holds, fiberglass macros, and wooden volumes for some of the world most prestigious climbing hold brands. It is currently the largest climbing hold manufacturer in Asia.
With connections to major distributors worldwide, Kastline also assists brands in expanding their sales networks in regions where they may not have a strong presence
Jerome Garcin
Co-founder of Kastline​​
Jean Verly, who is of French and Vietnamese heritage, arrived in Hanoi in 2005 and has been a driving force in shaping Vietnam’s climbing scene ever since. In 2010, he founded the country’s first dedicated bouldering gym. Beyond the city, Jean pioneered the development of Huu Lung as a premier sport climbing destination, now home to over 250 bolted routes. He also established the village’s first homestays in 2018 and 2020, working closely with local families and authorities to create sustainable tourism opportunities. Prior to this, Jean worked at the French embassy in Vietnam in economy, cooperation and development.
Jean Verly
Founder of VietClimb
Danny Ho, the founder of JUST CLIMB, is a passionate entrepreneur and climbing enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the sports industry. His journey began as a competitive climber at the age of 12, where he honed his skills and deepened his love for the sport. Conquering different competitions in China and Hong Kong, awarded with championships. Recognizing the need for accessible climbing experiences, Danny established JUST CLIMB in 2011 to provide bouldering facilities and training for climbers of all levels. Under his leadership, the organization has grown into a vibrant community, promoting climbing, positive energy and perseverance. Danny’s vision continues to inspire countless individuals to embrace climbing as a lifelong passion.
Danny Ho
Founder of Just Climb
Kelly Soohoo came to China in 2016 chasing a first ascent—and ended up staying to found ClimbCo (2020) and Lacuna Climbing (2022). Today, his factory is trusted to produce for global brands like Method Grips, Grizzly, Thrill Seeker, SUPR, and others.
Originally from Los Angeles, Kelly spent 13 years on a U.S. trading desk, working with institutional and algorithmic firms before leaving finance to pursue life in the mountains. He’s an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, WEMT, and ultramarathoner who has independently climbed G2, Aconcagua, Denali, Mt. Rainier, and more.
In 2025, he’s launching Hand Jam, a skin care line for climbers, and opening a new climbing gym in Hong Kong.