A powerful new initiative to elevate and empower women in hospitality is set to launch in Phuket this August. RISE 2025 – Reshaping Hospitality by Empowering Women is a full-day learning experience focused on career growth, skill-building, and inclusive leadership. The event is co-organised by C9 Hotelworks, Mrs B Group, and Delivering Asia.
Created especially for professionals across the hospitality, tourism, restaurant, and service sectors, RISE 2025 welcomes everyone from students and young professionals to senior executives and business owners. Co-hosts Sumi Soorian, Founder of Mrs B Group, and Jirarat Ninpradub, General Manager of Le Méridien Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort, will guide guests through an immersive agenda of practical workshops, mentor-led sessions, and high-impact discussions, designed to equip all participants with the actionable tools they need to lead with confidence.
Personal and Professional Guidance to Inspire Guests
The day commences with a guided meditation session entitled Manifest the Career You Want by Connecting with Your Inner Voice, led by Viona Zhang, Deputy Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks, to put attendees in the perfect frame of mind to absorb the event’s keynote program, which features an inspiring lineup of speakers.
“As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, it’s essential we create spaces that equip women with the skills and visibility to lead.
“RISE isn’t just about inspiration – it’s about impact and action.”
Kornkanok Yongsakul, CEO at RBL Training and Co-founder of V Yachts Asia, will then open the event with her advice on Making a Life Plan – Achieving Goals One Step at a Time, which encourages women to take ownership of their future, before Rohit Sachdev, CEO of Soho Hospitality, offers expert guidance on Developing Your Own Personal Brand Statement. Kanoknat Adhyanasakul, Executive Director of Amatara Welleisure Resort, will then affirm The Importance of Training in creating long-term development pathways, and Dr Nisha Abu Bakar, Co-founder of the Women in Tourism Association, will examine leadership in action with her talk: “Catalyst for Change: Women Leaders Accelerating Hospitality Transformation.”
Chantal Fernandes, British Honorary Consul to Phuket, presents Expect the Unexpected: Career Lessons from a Life in Hospitality. At the same time, Supapim Wannopas of UN Women will discuss the power of “Establishing Sustainable Entrepreneurship Programs” for women in tourism and hospitality. Michaela Connor and Jenna Xue will explore transformative lessons in What Failure Teaches That Success Never Will.
Finally, a student at UWC Thailand, the leading international school, will present a unique youth perspective in their “Global Movement: Education – A Force for Peace and a Sustainable Future” session, and Mimi Chuenpanichayakul of Delivering Asia will shine a generational light in Under 30: Finding My Own Identity. Zhang will then return to the stage with a personal talk entitled From Fear to Voice: How I Learned to Speak Up.
Energising Workshops and Social Networking
Following these inspiring sessions, guests will be invited to join a networking lunch, before they reconvene for a deep-dive workshop: Workplace Equity in Action: Metrics, Gaps, and Progress, led by UN Women’s Supapim Wannopas. The final segment is a high-energy Speed Learning Collaborative Roundtable Workshop featuring focused discussions led by top industry professionals, including Jayne MacDougall, Executive Director of the Phuket Hotels Association, Leanne Reddie, Chief Commercial Officer at Chedi Hospitality, and Pan Voravee, Founder & Director of Voravee Hospitality.
Sumi Soorian, Founder of Mrs B Group, said…
“RISE 2025 is about creating a safe, dynamic space where women at all career stages can grow and support one another.
“Whether you’re redefining your professional path or just beginning, this event is designed to harness collective energy and practical insight to help women move forward together.”
RISE 2025 is proudly supported by a dedicated coalition of partners committed to inclusive industry advancement, including SAii Laguna Phuket, QUO Global, Creative Concept AV, Phuket Hotels Association, UN Women Asia and the Pacific, Inspiring Women in Hospitality, and the International Women’s Travel Awards by Travel Daily Media.
For more program information and to register, CLICK HERE!
The story RISE 2025 to empower women in hospitality with full-day learning event in Phuket as seen on Thaiger News.
