Kearney & Egon Zehnder Launch IGNITE Thailand for Women Leaders

• Kearney and Egon Zehnder have launched IGNITE Thailand, a network for professional women
• The project is supported by an advisory board of prominent women business leaders from Thailand
• The aim is to empower and develop the next generation of women leaders

Kearney, a global management consulting firm, and Egon Zehnder, a global executive search firm, in collaboration with an advisory board of influential women business leaders in Thailand, have launched IGNITE Thailand, a community that seeks to empower professional women. The purpose of this initiative is to develop the next generation of women leaders.

Although there are many successful women in the business world, there is still much that can be done to improve their representation. In Thailand, women account for only 19 percent of board seats, compared to 30-40 percent in Europe.

Women are looking for mentors who can help them develop strong networks outside of their organizations. However, there are also challenges, as 27 percent of women struggle to find time for leadership development activities, and 22 percent said that their organizations do not support such activities.

The official launch of IGNITE Thailand was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, in October 2025. This marked a significant milestone for the program as it brought together the advisory board and more than 30 mentors and mentees, who come from a wide variety of sectors and industries, not only from Thai companies but also from multinational companies.

Janewit Kraprayoon, senior advisor of Kearney Thailand, led the opening of the event with a silent prayer in tribute to the late Queen Mother, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, who is remembered for her contributions to women’s rights in Thailand and whose legacy continues to inspire the country to this day.

Wallaya Chirathivat, advisory board member and president and CEO of Central Pattana, introduced the vision of the program: “IGNITE Thailand was established to empower and connect women leaders across industries. It is not just a program, but a platform to unlock the next generation of women leaders. When women advance, society advances.”

IGNITE Thailand has 13 members on its advisory board, which includes well-known individuals such as Nualphan Lamsam, Wallaya Chirathivat, Pitiporn Phanaphat, Maneerut Anulomsombut, Gloyta Nathalang, and many more.

One of the Advisory Board members, Nualphan Lamsam, CEO of Muang Thai Insurance, stated, "In helping create future leaders, it is one of the best women’s empowerment programs I have ever been part of and I feel very fortunate to support it."

Through the IGNITE Program I believe there is a secure space for leaders to discuss and share their challenges, successes and lessons learned which will ultimately lead to the development of future leaders.