Dusit Thani – Leadership at the Heart of Transformation
The revival of Dusit Thani Bangkok was more than a business transformation—it reflected leadership rooted in trust, empathy, and engagement. How did CEO Suphajee, “Super G”, inspire people to embrace change amid the challenge of letting go of the familiar?
At a glance
Year Founded
1970
Location
Bangkok, Thailand
Current CEO
Suphajee Suthumpun
(Since December 2015)
Number of Employees
7,000+
Abstract
Dusit Thani Bangkok’s transformation under CEO Suphajee “Tam” Suthumpun marked a significant turning point in the evolution of one of Thailand’s most iconic hospitality brands. Appointed in 2015, Suphajee recognized the urgent need to modernize a business rooted in heritage but constrained by a stagnant business model and changing customer expectations. Her leadership focused not only on business diversification and strategic renewal but also on guiding people through large-scale organizational change.
This case study explores how Suphajee applied transformational leadership, trust-based management, and stakeholder engagement to align employees and internal stakeholders behind a shared vision for change. Using a two-phase approach that combined an outside-in strategy for setting business direction with an inside-out process for building employee commitment, the case examines how empathy, communication, ownership, and recognition enabled organizational transformation in a traditional service business.
The case highlights the challenges of managing resistance to change, preserving organizational identity, and balancing cultural heritage with innovation. It invites learners to evaluate leadership strategies for driving organizational transformation, employee engagement, and long-term business renewal in the hospitality industry.
Key Topics: Transformational Leadership, Change Management, Organizational Transformation, Employee Engagement, Stakeholder Management, Trust-Based Leadership, Organizational Culture, Hospitality Management, Strategic Renewal, Business Transformation
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(1) Regarding Case Study Content: This case study is based mainly on secondary data and analysis of publicly available information unless otherwise stated, and is intended solely for educational purposes. Any opinions expressed by the author(s) are designed to facilitate learning discussion and do not serve to illustrate the effectiveness of the company. Additionally, banner images and logos used in the case study are intended for visualization in an educational setting and it is not used to represent or brand the company. For any dispute regarding the content and usage of images and logos, please contact the team.
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