Hotelier Suphajee Suthumpun Tapped as Commerce Minister Amid Corporate Turmoil
The seasoned CEO, a surprising choice for Anutin’s cabinet, is poised to take on a major government role while navigating an intense leadership challenge at her company
- Suphajee Suthumpun, the Group CEO of hotel company Dusit Thani, has been appointed as Thailand's new Minister of Commerce.
- Her selection is viewed as a move to appoint a highly qualified, non-political business leader, drawing on her 36-year career in IT, satellites, and tourism.
- The appointment comes as her corporate future is uncertain due to an intense family feud at Dusit Thani, with a shareholder vote scheduled to potentially strip her of management power.
The appointment of Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO of Dusit Thani Public Company Limited, as Thailand's new Minister of Commerce has come as a major surprise.
According to recent reports, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul approached her for the role, with her inclusion in the new cabinet drawing widespread attention for its emphasis on highly qualified, non-political appointees.
Suphajee's move into a key economic ministry marks the latest chapter in a 36-year career that has spanned three different industries, all grappling with technological disruption: IT, satellites, and tourism.
A graduate of Thammasat University and Northrop University in the US, Suphajee earned her reputation as the first Thai national to become Assistant to the CEO at IBM’s New York headquarters, where she spent 23 years.
She later led Thaicom Public Company Limited for four years before taking the helm at Dusit Thani in 2016.
As a non-family CEO, she was an unconventional choice to lead a company founded by Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui 77 years ago.
She introduced a long-term "Balance - Diversify - Expand" strategy, aiming to reduce the company's reliance on its hotel business, which previously accounted for 90% of revenue.
Under her leadership, the group successfully diversified its portfolio to include property development, food, and other sectors.
Her tenure has been defined by major initiatives, including the Dusit Central Park mixed-use development, a 46 billion baht joint venture with Central Pattana Public Company Limited. The project's residential units are now more than 92% sold and are scheduled for transfer to buyers in late 2025.
Despite these successes, Suphajee is currently at the centre of an intense family feud among the company’s heirs. The conflict came to a head in February when Chanin Donavanik, the eldest son of the founder, was removed from his position at Chanat and Sons Company, a major shareholder of Dusit Thani.
The fallout continues to shake the company. An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders is scheduled for September 26 to not only remove Chanin as a director but also vote on a change to the company’s signing authority.
The proposed change would remove Suphajee from the group of directors authorised to sign legal documents, a move widely seen as an attempt to strip her of her management power.
Her appointment to the cabinet comes at a critical moment, just as her corporate future hangs in the balance. Suphajee is set to take on her new government role just four months before parliament is expected to be dissolved.
The central question now is what impact this highly experienced businesswoman can make on the Thai economy in such a short period, as she balances her new public duties with a significant corporate challenge.
