Edwin “Eddie” Phillips, businessman and co-founder of health and beauty club chain Phillip Wain in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, has died of lung cancer at the age of 74.

His daughter, Natasha, announced the news on Wednesday, saying that Phillips died on March 14 at his home in Byron Bay, Australia.

Phillips, known for bringing aerobics to Asia, established the fitness chain with his business partner, Barry Wain, in the city in October 1977, before expanding to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

“He was a talented entrepreneur from a young age and was passionate about fitness and good health as he embraced a highly active sporting lifestyle. He was an intensely competitive judoka, involved in athletics and was ‘mad about surfing’,” Natasha said.

“My father always loved to attend any of my and my brother’s extracurricular activities whilst we were at school.”

Natasha said she was heavily involved in drama productions, adding she had invited her father to a gala performance of the play, South Pacific, which she was in.