On 3 September, the not-for-profit event RISE 2026: Reshaping Hospitality by Empowering Women will convene at SAii Laguna Phuket, bringing together senior executives, entrepreneurs, and rising talent to confront a stubborn industry problem: the underrepresentation of women in top leadership roles.
Organized by C9 Hotelworks, Mrs B Group, and Delivering Asia, RISE 2026 is designed as a national platform for Thailand, despite its Phuket staging. The speaker roster draws from hotel groups, global hospitality brands, and businesses operating across the country, with support from SAii Laguna Phuket, the Phuket Hotels Association, UN Women, the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, TDM, and Robb Report Thailand.
Registration is required in advance, with a QR code from Eventbrite needed for entry. Tickets are pre-paid at THB 1,000 (approximately US$30), with proceeds going toward running the event as a not-for-profit platform rather than to any organizing partner.
Why the leadership gap persists
Hospitality has long been a welcoming sector for women at entry and mid-level positions, yet it consistently falls short when it comes to placing them in senior roles where they can drive meaningful change. According to Hospitality Investor data cited by organizers, women make up 51.2 percent of the global hospitality workforce but hold only 30 percent of executive positions.
Lily Udomkunnatum, managing director of Burasiri Hotel Group, said: “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.”
The slow pace of progress is a key topic at RISE 2026, with discussions focusing on talent rather than gender. Mary Pakamard, managing director and principal designer at M2 Plus, remarked: “I believe empowering women in hospitality isn’t just about creating opportunities, it’s about recognizing the incredible talent that’s already here. We need to stop waiting for change and start making it happen.”
Four themes, one goal
This year’s programme is structured across four themes: Vision and Voice; Systems and Sectors; Emerging Leaders; and Craft, Communication, and Self. Speakers include Lily Udomkunnatum of Burasiri Hotel Group; Mary Pakamard of M2 Plus; Kate Gerits, director of operations Thailand for IHG Hotels and Resorts; Pitinut Robbins, senior director Thailand for 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, alongside entrepreneurs, designers, and rising voices from Thailand's hospitality sector.
The event also addresses the broader industry context, including the need for more women in ownership and investment roles. As Naureen Ahmed has noted, redesigning leadership structures is essential to achieving gender balance.
C9 Hotelworks managing director Bill Barnett added: “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. RISE exists to close that gap, not for one afternoon in Phuket, but as a marker for where the industry needs to go across the country.”
RISE 2026 is part of a broader conversation about talent development in the region. Similar initiatives, such as the Hospitality Japan Conference 2026, are also addressing capital, design, and revenue strategies, but RISE uniquely focuses on gender parity in leadership.
As the industry looks to rebuild and innovate, events like RISE 2026 are critical for ensuring that women are not just participants but leaders in shaping the future of hospitality. The organizers hope the event will serve as a catalyst for change, inspiring more companies to invest in female talent and create pathways to senior roles.
