Two Thais, Chadatip Chutrakul and Somporn Juangroongruangkit, were named on the 2014 Forbes Asia Power Businesswomen list, and another two Thai women included in the 12 To Watch list.
Mrs Somporn (left) and Mrs Chadathip are the two Thais on the Forbes Power Businesswomen list.
The US business magazine released the lists on Wednesday (US time).
The main list includes, but does not rank, 50 women from 13 countries. The other list picked 12 with "the juice, vision, creativity, knowledge and connections" for inclusion in the main list in future.
Forbes said the selection criteria were company revenue (mostly in the billions of dollars), position (if she’s the boss that’s a big plus) and how involved she is (preferably running operations day-to-day). Entrepreneurs were also favoured.
Mrs Chadathip, CEO of Siam Piwat and Siam Paragon Development, was credited for much of the success of Siam Discovery, Siam Paragon and Paradise Park, major Bangkok shopping malls.
Somporn Juangroongruangkit, president of Thai Summit Group, was hailed for her role in expanding and diversifying the auto-parts business. She and her family are also No.25 on Forbes' Thailand’s richest list.
The rising stars likely to be included in the main list in the future included Roongchat Boonyarat, director and executive vice-president for sales and marketing of Malee Sampran Thailand, and Tipa Nawawattanasub, CEO of YLG Bullion & Futures Thailand, who are on the Watch list.
Ms Tipa of YLG Bullion (left) and Ms Roongchat of Malee Sampran may join the list soon.
Ms Roongchat, daughter of the Malee Sampran chairman, took up her post in August 2011 as part of a move to bring in the next generation and modernise the canned fruit and drinks company.
Ms Tipa was groomed as successor to her parents, who founded and run YLG Bullion International, Thailand’s biggest gold trader (YLG Bullion & Futures is a brokerage unit). Her brother heads up the Singapore office of YLG, which is considering listing in Thailand in the next three years.