Caroline Shen is an award-winning leader in the travel and hospitality industry, currently taking the position as the Director of Sales and Marketing at The Peninsula Bangkok in Thailand, a luxury urban resort by the River of Kings. With nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, Caroline has garnered a reputation as a prominent female leader in the travel and hospitality sector, with a proven track record of driving growth, innovation, and positive change. Caroline was also our Essence of Women – Positive Disruptor category winner at the first Travel Daily Media – Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) Awards 2023.

Caroline is a British Chinese graduated with multiple awards in Hotel Management from Switzerland, she began her career in the United States at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner and then went on to work at various leading luxury hotels in London, including The Waldorf Hilton and The InterContinental London Park Lane. Caroline has made Thailand her home since 2008, serving in numerous executive committee level roles at hotels in both Bangkok and the EEC region.

Due to her passion for luxury and lifestyle travel, Caroline has had the opportunity to visit numerous countries and cities across different continents. She enjoys exploring hidden gems in unconventional towns across Thailand and considers New Zealand and Japan as her favorite countries to visit. Caroline and her husband Ray treasure their family, which includes two beautiful children, and attempt to travel as a family as often as possible. Caroline is fluent in three languages, specifically English, Chinese, and Cantonese, with some proficiency in the Thai language as well.

Cleofe Albiso, leads the Philippines’ largest homegrown hospitality chain, the Megaworld Hotels and Resorts (MHR) with 6 brands, 12 properties, and with over 8,000 room keys including new locations in the pipeline. As the organization’s Managing Director, she mobilizes an employee base of 2,000-strong individuals ready to serve guests with their signature brand of Filipino service called the Sampaguita.

As a leader Albiso believes in the wholistic transformative power of culture in the workforce. In the organization she is part of, she has authored the “Circle of Happiness” that is focused on love for oneself, family, work, community and above all, God. To add, the organization adheres to a well-rounded operations philosophy based on progressive sustainable practices. With MHR’s diverse portfolio and service dynamism, MHR has been awarded with the Best Operational Hospitality Portfolio in 2022 by no less than the Property Guru Group.

In history, Cleofe is celebrated as the first Filipino General Manager of a Marriott Brand in the Philippines being part of the preopening team of the first Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Iloilo. With her numerous engagements, Albiso also sits as a member of the board of the Meet You in Iloilo movement and a chairman of the Boracay M.I.C.E Alliance, two organizations that spark collaborative activations across Western Visayas with the objective to attract large inbound meetings, incentives, conferences, conventions, and exhibits for Region VI.

Being an empowered woman, she advocates for equal opportunities throughout the chain brought by consistent sharpening of the saw backed by results. Throughout her executive track record starting from the telecommunications industry up to the present, Cleofe has been known to be a veracious learner who embraces intellectual humility. She is also a selfless mentor and an inspirational speaker motivated by God’s word.

Her most recent awards include being nationally recognized as the 25th Mabuhay Gold Awardee of 2022 given during the Mabuhay Awards organized by the Association of Human Resource Managers of the Hospitality Industry in the Philippines. On top of that, she is celebrated as the first ever “Rising Star in Travel” under the Inspiring Women in Travel Awards Woman Champion in Travel (Asia) 2023 Category for her record-breaking influence in the community.

A dynamic executive leader with extensive experience at CEO and senior management levels across the aviation, travel and technology industries in the Australasian region. Acknowledged as a successful negotiator and skilful change manager with a history of successful business transformation. A sound communicator with a track record of challenging the status quo, in the interests of the business. Experienced managing ASX listed company contexts including the functions of corporate governance, risk, sales, marketing and distribution strategy and innovation. Particular focus on building authentic, strong and sustainable partnerships with the corporate and retail sectors to produce a significant return on investment and long-term market growth. Specialities include: - Exceptional leadership and communication skills - Managing Key Partner relationships - Commercial strategy development and execution - Employee engagement - New business acquisition - Transformational change and business turnaround

As Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Laura Houldsworth leads and oversees business growth, operations and strategy for one of Booking.com’s most vibrant and diverse regions globally. Laura joined Booking.com in June 2021, following 10 successful years at SAP Concur where she last served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China. Laura has previously held regional roles in BCD Travel and ABN Amro Private Banking; and is a commercial leader with more than 15 years of experience managing successful, multi-cultural teams. Laura has lived and worked in Singapore for more than 15 years and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Marketing Management from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom. Besides being an avid traveller and runner, she enjoys a good game of chess.

Mike is the General Manager of Thailand and Laos at Intrepid Travel, the travel industry’s largest B Corporation. Born in the UK, Mike embarked on his professional journey in the field of manufacturing, specializing in Operational Quality, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. However, his desire to explore the world led him to Asia, where he found the perfect platform to fulfill his passion for travel. With a track record spanning over 20 years Mike started as a group leader before going on to assume leadership roles across Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines before moving to Myanmar.

After successfully building our business in Myanmar Mike went on to develop and grow external sales before moving into the role of General Manager, Thailand and Laos. Driven by a results-oriented mindset, placing great emphasis on delivering solutions and enhancing performance he consistently showcases his ability to identify and implement effective strategies that yield tangible results. Recognized for his proactive approach, adept problem-solving skills and consistently devising innovative solutions to optimize operational efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction. One of Mike's key strengths is his adeptness at leading cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative work environment that nurtures creative thinking and teamwork.

He fully understands the significance of aligning individual strengths with organizational objectives, empowering team members to reach their highest potential and excel in their roles. Mike believes it is essential to cultivate a workplace culture that embraces diverse perspectives and experiences empowering team members to reach their highest potential and excel in their roles, actively ensuring that employees have equal opportunities to contribute and thrive within the organization creating a diversity that fuels innovation and ultimately leads to superior decision-making within the company.

Experienced in Education and Hospitality, Ms. Pichaya has been in hospitality career in various areas. Despite the background in education fields, she started her career in hotel operation and flight operation and turned her direction to hospitality education. She is now working for Dusit Thani College, supervising in International and Industry relations. She is currently held the board member position of Travel and Tourism Research Association – Asia Pacific Chapter since 2018.

Tanya Pirapokin joined Siam Express in 2002 starting as a junior leisure consultant. Today, I am the Executive Director of Siam Express, one of Thailand's top travel management companies. My role includes overseeing the leadership team to ensure excellent delivery of corporate travel services to both domestic and multinational customers.

Outside my corporate role, I have maintained my involvement in social services in the area of fund-raising projects specially with the Epilepsy Foundation of Thailand, and of raising awareness of environmental sustainability.

Tom Thrussell is a British national with over 20 years of experience in the marketing field, having worked for leading companies such as American Express and Maybourne Hotel Group, which owns and manages some of the world’s most distinguished luxury hotels, including Claridge’s and The Connaught. Relocating from London to Bangkok in 2015, Tom has spent the past eight years leading the global marketing efforts of Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel group comprising 95 hotels across six distinct brands.  He oversees all elements of the marketing mix from branding, marketing, and e-commerce, through to CRM, loyalty, and PR.  During his tenure Tom has developed and launched two new brands, helping the company expand into both the affordable lifestyle and luxury sectors: he’s successfully overseen several new market entries including Japan, UAE, Qatar, and Oman, and he’s overseen double-digit growth in direct and online revenues year after year. He speaks both French and Spanish as well as his native English, and his passions are his family, travel and Tottenham Hotspur.

I believe personal first-hand discovery of our world's diversity is interesting, fun, and one of the best tools we have for its conservation. Exploring Earth's natural treasures, wealth of cultures and history, and meeting its communities in a responsible, sustainable and authentic way to inspire involved solutions to its growing problems.