The travel and hospitality industry has long benefited from female leadership, yet the contribution of women at its helm rarely receives the recognition it warrants. This International Women’s Day, the spotlight falls on a group of women whose work spans continents, disciplines, and decades from the limestone plateaus of Provence to the coral reefs of the Maldives, and from the whisky bars of Edinburgh to the conservation corridors of Namibia.
Across hospitality, conservation, marine biology, and sustainability, these women are shaping organisations, influencing policy, and leaving behind something genuinely valuable. Their work is a powerful reminder that the luxury travel industry is at its best when it is driven by people who care deeply, not just about the guest experience, but about the world that makes those experiences possible
Building a hospitality collection rooted in identity
When Kimberley Cohen co-founded Maisons Pariente in 2018 alongside her sister Leslie Kouhana and father Patrick Pariente, the ambition was clear, to create hotels that feel genuinely personal rather than simply premium. That vision has proven successful. The collection now encompasses four exceptional properties including Crillon le Brave in Provence, Hotel Lou Pinet in St Tropez, Hotel Le Coucou in Méribel, and Le Grand Mazarin in Paris, which opened in September 2023. Each carries a distinct character, yet all are united by the group’s founding principles of high-end service, authenticity, ultra-personalisation, and design integrity.
Cohen’s role as Artistic Director reflects her profound influence over the aesthetic and emotional identity of each property. Her ability to balance creative vision with commercial growth has established Maisons Pariente as one of Europe’s most thoughtfully curated boutique hotel collections.
The group’s fifth hotel, Le Saint Roch, is scheduled to open in Courchevel in December 2026, which is a highly anticipated addition that speaks to the strength of what Cohen and her family have built together.
Championing sustainability across the Caribbean
Few people have done more to advance sustainable tourism across the Caribbean than Karolin Troubetzkoy. As Executive Director for Marketing and Operations at Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet in St Lucia, she has built a career defined by regenerative thinking, environmental responsibility, and genuine community investment. The two resorts she oversees are widely regarded as benchmarks of sustainable luxury in the region, celebrated for their architectural drama, natural beauty, and deep connection to the land.
Troubetzkoy’s influence stretches well beyond her own properties. She has served four terms as President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, founded the Saint Lucia Tourism Enhancement Fund, and served as President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
She currently holds chairperson roles at the Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, and the Education Foundation of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, creating a remarkable portfolio of leadership that has helped shape tourism policy and conservation strategy across the entire region.
Conservation leadership in Namibia’s most remote regions
Agnes Tjirare-Kerii is making a profound difference in one of the world’s most extraordinary natural environments. As Impact Manager for Wilderness Namibia, a leading conservation-focused safari company operating across Africa’s most pristine wilderness areas, she leads programmes that connect sustainable change with meaningful local community development.
With more than 16 years of experience in tourism and conservation, she has been instrumental in advancing the Children in the Wilderness initiative, bringing environmental education to children in some of Namibia’s most remote areas. Her work encompasses training programmes, gardening projects, and Environmental School Clubs, all designed to foster a lasting connection between young people and the natural world around them.
Recognised as one of Africa’s Top 100 Young Conservation Leaders, Tjirare-Kerii is a powerful example of what happens when talent, passion, and purpose align within an organisation that genuinely shares those values.
Restoring coral reefs in the Maldives
Chloe Mclanachan, Resident Marine Biologist at OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru, has built one of the most active and impactful coral restoration programmes in the Maldives. OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru is a stunning island resort celebrated for its overwater villas, pristine lagoon, and genuine dedication to marine conservation and Mclanachan is central to that reputation. Her career began on the beaches of California before taking her through Wales, Exeter, and Laamu, ultimately leading her to the Indian Ocean and the work she was always destined to do.
At the heart of her programme, participants collect coral fragments, attach them to metal frames, and position them across designated lagoon sites. The project now includes 35 artificial reefs, among them a coral rope nursery in deeper water, which is a tangible, growing legacy of her dedication. Chloe also leads educational talks and guided excursions to manta rays and whale sharks, bringing guests into direct contact with the marine environment she works so hard to protect. OUTRIGGER launched its global OUTRIGGER Zone reef restoration initiative in 2014, and her work at Maafushivaru sits at the very heart of that mission.
Leading Greece’s new approach to luxury wellbeing
Gina Mamidaki has built something genuinely impressive in Crete. As CEO of Bluegr Hotels & Resorts, she leads a luxury hospitality group that has earned a strong reputation for its thoughtful approach to barefoot luxury, sustainability, and innovation. Her academic foundation from Cornell University and Harvard Business School informs a leadership style grounded in ethos, accountability, and integrity. All of which are qualities that are evident throughout every property in the Bluegr portfolio.
Her most significant recent achievement, the Nao Longevity Hub at Minos Palace Resort, opened in May 2025 as Greece’s first luxury wellbeing destination of its kind, It is a bold and visionary project that has already attracted considerable international attention. Beyond her commercial work, Mamidaki founded the G&A Mamidakis Foundation, through which 32 local and international sculptors were brought to Minos Beach Art Hotel to create original works inspired by the Cretan landscape. It is the kind of cultural initiative that reflects a leader thinking well beyond the balance sheet.
Setting new standards in London hotel leadership
Samantha Van Exter is one of the most accomplished hoteliers working in London today. With more than 25 years of experience across Southern Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, she joined the Montcalm Collection in June 2023 as Head of Hotels, taking responsibility for a diverse and growing portfolio that includes Montcalm East, Montcalm Mayfair, Montcalm Royal London House, Montcalm Brewery, Park Grand, and the B-Corp accredited Inhabit Hotels.
The Montcalm Collection is one of London’s most respected independent hotel groups, known for its range, quality, and forward-thinking approach to responsible hospitality.
Her impact has been swift and widely recognised. Samantha was named Hotelier of the Year at the Brit List Awards 2025, while Montcalm Collection won the Responsible Hotel Group category at Country & Town House’s Future Icons Awards 2026. These accolades reflect both her personal calibre and the strength of the organisation she leads, this is a combination that is driving the collection forward with real momentum.
Pioneering manta ray research in the Raa Atoll
Meral Hafeez is doing extraordinary work in one of the world’s most biodiverse marine environments. As Project Manager for the Manta Trust at InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, a magnificent property set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Raa Atoll, she heads a team dedicated to the protection and scientific study of manta rays. Originally from Canada, her academic background in law was initially directed towards legal frameworks for coral reef protection, a foundation that gives her conservation work a particularly rigorous edge.
In March 2026, Meral will lead the resort’s annual Manta Retreat, an immersive programme offering participants guided reef snorkelling, manta excursions, educational workshops, and coral restoration sessions. It is a programme that places serious, credible science at the centre of a luxury travel experience and a fitting reflection of both her expertise and the resort’s broader values around marine stewardship.