Lily Udomkunnatum, Managing Director, Burasiri Hotel Group; Mary Pakamard, Managing Director & Principal Designer, M2 Plus; and Wichupan Phukaoluan Srisanya, President, Thai Hotels Association, Southern Chapter.
A new Phuket-based hospitality platform will bring together industry leaders to discuss women’s representation, career development and leadership opportunities across Thailand’s tourism sector.
RISE 2026, a new industry platform focused on women’s leadership in hospitality, will take place on 3 September 2026 at SAii Laguna Phuket. The event will bring together hotel executives, tourism professionals and emerging leaders from across Thailand.
C9 Hotelworks, Mrs B Group and Delivering Asia organise the not-for-profit event. The platform will address the gap between women’s participation in hospitality and their presence in senior leadership roles.
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Women represent 51.2% of the global hospitality workforce but hold only around 30% of executive positions, according to industry workforce data reported by Hospitality Investor in 2025. Thailand’s tourism sector faces a similar challenge, with women playing a major role in operations yet underrepresented in ownership and senior decision-making positions.
RISE 2026 focuses on leadership development
The event, titled “Reshaping Hospitality by Empowering Women”, will explore talent development, career progression and leadership opportunities across the hospitality industry.
The programme will include four themes: Vision and Voice, Systems and Sectors, Emerging Leaders, and Craft, Communication and Self. Sessions will examine leadership skills, professional growth and industry collaboration.
Speakers include Lily Udomkunnatum, Managing Director of Burasiri Hotel Group; Mary Pakamard, Managing Director and Principal Designer of M2 Plus; Kate Gerits, Director of Operations Thailand at IHG Hotels and Resorts; Pitinut Robbins, Senior Director Thailand at Marriott International; Wichupan Phukaoluan Srisanya, President of the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter; and Sara D Anzeo, Sustainable Finance International Consultant at UN Women Asia Pacific.
The programme will also feature entrepreneurs, designers and hospitality professionals from across Thailand. Discussions will focus on skills, career opportunities and leadership development.
Hospitality has always depended on women. We understand people, build relationships, hold teams together and often carry enormous responsibility. Yet women are still underrepresented in ownership and senior decision-making roles,” said Lily Udomkunnatum, Managing Director of Burasiri Hotel Group.
New platform connects hospitality professionals
The organisers created RISE 2026 to connect hospitality professionals and encourage knowledge exchange across the industry.
“I believe empowering women in hospitality isn’t just about creating opportunities; it’s about recognising the incredible talent that’s already here. We need to stop waiting for change and start making it happen,” said Mary Pakamard of M2 Plus.
Bill Barnett, Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks, said Thailand’s hospitality sector needs more platforms that connect women professionals and support career development.
“Thailand’s hotel sector has no shortage of women doing the work of building it, but too few platforms built specifically to put them in front of each other,” Barnett said.
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RISE 2026 receives support from SAii Laguna Phuket, the Phuket Hotels Association, UN Women, the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, TDM and Robb Report Thailand.
The event will take place at SAii Laguna Phuket on 3 September 2026. Registration is required, with tickets priced at THB 1,000. Proceeds will support the operation of the not-for-profit platform.