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The Bangkok Post on Wednesday publishes the third instalment of its "Bangkok Post CEO of the Year 2026" series, profiling three more award winners.
Chatit Huayhongtong, President of Chevron Thailand, was honoured for Excellence in Operational Excellence and Transformation.
Thapanee Techajareonvikul, Chief Executive Officer and President of Berli Juker Pcl, received the award for Strategic Transformation Excellence, and Suthee Panaworn, Chief Executive Officer of Easy Money, was recognised for Business Transformation Excellence.
Chevron builds for a secure energy future
CEO of the Year recipient focuses on people, performance and growth
CEO of the Year: Operational Excellence and Transformation
Chatit Huayhongtong President, Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd.
Mr Chatit says investment in people and the development of high-performing teams are essential to strengthening the company and advancing Thailand's energy security.
As president of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Chatit Huayhongtong is steering more than an energy company: he is helping to safeguard Thailand's long-term energy security.
Chevron has been a key player in Thailand's energy sector for more than six decades. Under Mr Chatit's leadership, the company has strengthened its operational capabilities while simultaneously adapting to a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
His strategic vision, operational discipline and commitment to sustainable growth have earned him the 2026 CEO of the Year award for Operational Excellence and Transformation.
The global energy industry faces a complex challenge commonly described as the energy trilemma: meeting growing energy demand while ensuring affordability, reliability and lower carbon emissions.
According to Mr Chatit, the sector must navigate volatile markets, geopolitical uncertainty, maturing petroleum assets, cost pressures and accelerating technological change.
His objective is to ensure Chevron Thailand advances all three dimensions of the energy trilemma by enhancing workforce capabilities and reinforcing the company's role in delivering a reliable supply for the country.
People transformation
Mr Chatit has led an organisation-wide transformation centred on people development.
"At the heart of our transformation are our people," he said.
Under his leadership, Chevron Thailand has invested in strengthening employee capabilities in digital technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and lower-carbon energy solutions, enabling teams to adapt to change, innovate and lead.
Alongside skills development, he has promoted a culture based on four high-performance principles: being direct, decisive, accountable and results-focused.
As a result, employees are encouraged to communicate openly, make informed and timely decisions, take ownership of outcomes and focus on initiatives that generate meaningful value.
The approach has delivered tangible results, with employee-led initiatives improving operational performance, reducing costs and lowering carbon emissions.
Technology has played a pivotal role in the transformation. At Chevron Thailand's Integrated Operations Center, real-time offshore data is combined with technical expertise, enabling teams to monitor operations remotely, identify potential issues early and make faster decisions across assets.
The company also leverages AI, data analytics and automation to turn large volumes of operational data into actionable insights, while reducing repetitive tasks and allowing employees to focus on higher-value activities.
These efforts are supported by strong cybersecurity measures and robust data governance.
The result has been safer and more reliable operations, improved efficiency, lower operating costs and a continued reduction in carbon intensity.
Since 2022, Chevron Thailand's targeted emissions-reduction programmes have reduced carbon intensity, flaring and methane emissions.
One of the most significant initiatives is Mr Chatit's "Total Reuse" project, which extends the life of offshore wellhead platforms by reusing topsides and support structures.
The project has avoided more than 4,280 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. Together with other reuse initiatives, the total emissions reduction exceeds 27,000 tonnes.
The project received the SPE Thailand E&P Award, which recognises engineering innovation, operational excellence, cost optimisation and carbon-reduction achievements in Thailand's energy sector.
"This achievement shows how people, partnership and performance help us get results the right way," said Mr Chatit.
Energy security
A central pillar of Mr Chatit's strategy is strengthening domestic energy production to reduce dependence on costly energy imports.
The issue became particularly pronounced during recent global energy crises linked to tensions in the Middle East, when liquefied natural gas (LNG) import costs for Asian buyers rose sharply from about US$3.1 billion to $7.4 billion.
For Mr Chatit, a secure domestic energy supply is a matter of national security. He said he supports the exploration of new petroleum resources, including prospective areas in the Andaman Sea and the Thailand-Cambodia overlapping claims area in the Gulf of Thailand, which could provide long-term domestic energy supplies.
"Chevron values the progress made through the Unclos conciliation process and supports continued dialogue towards a mutually acceptable path forward," he said, referring to efforts under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to address the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
Chevron Thailand produces about 20% of the country's domestic natural gas supply, making it the nation's second-largest gas producer.
The company's next phase of growth aims to balance reliable supply from existing assets with the development of new resources.
Petroleum block G2/65 is undergoing resource assessment. The Pailin gas field production licence has been extended for another 10 years until January 2038, while plans are progressing to develop the Ubon gas field into a commercially viable project.
Together, these initiatives are expected to help sustain domestic gas output and support Thailand's long-term energy security. "We intend to remain a trusted partner in developing affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy that supports the country's energy security and enables human progress," said Mr Chatit.
Berli Jucker charts new course for regional growth
Led by Thapanee Techajareonvikul, BJC is leveraging customer insights and digital technologies to sharpen its retail strategy, with Vietnam emerging as a key growth market
CEO of the Year: Strategic Transformation Excellence
Thapanee Techajareonvikul Chief Executive Officer and President, Berli Jucker PCL
Mrs Thapanee believes a deep understanding of customers is key to gaining a competitive edge in today's retail market.
Under the leadership of Thapanee Techajareonvikul, chief executive officer and president of Berli Jucker Plc (BJC), the Thai consumer goods manufacturer, distributor and operator of Big C stores is undertaking a broad strategic transformation across Southeast Asia.
At the core of her strategy is the belief that a deep understanding of customers is the primary differentiator in today's retail competition.
"Retail operators must deeply understand their customers and deliver the best experiences that make every store visit worthwhile in both time and money," she said.
Regarding future retail trends, Mrs Thapanee said she believes the role of each store branch must become clearer. BJC sees strong growth potential in the Thai and Vietnamese retail sectors by aligning each store's role directly with local shopper demographics and differentiating residential neighbourhood outlets from those in tourist hotspots.
To execute this customer-centric vision, she spearheaded the integration of physical stores and online channels into a unified retail system.
By revamping its hypermarkets and utilising smaller formats, BJC maximises space productivity and enhances financial returns on retail floor space.
The company has also integrated advanced data analytics into daily store operations to refine product selections, curate store assortments, optimise shelf layouts, forecast inventory and deliver localised services.
A milestone in this strategy is the revamped Big C Mini format operating under the "Big C Neighbor" concept. Spanning roughly 300 square metres and offering more than 8,000 items, including groceries, daily essentials and locally relevant goods, these neighbourhood stores leverage Big C's robust merchandise sourcing capabilities to broaden choices for local communities.
Beyond Thailand, the company is expanding its international presence with a strong strategic focus on Vietnam, a high-potential market of more than 100 million people with a rapidly growing middle class.
Capitalising on BJC's footprint of seven manufacturing plants and distribution hubs producing glass containers and tissue paper as of May 2026, the company has drawn on deep local market insights, strong local teams and well-established partner networks.
BJC recently acquired MM Mega Market Vietnam (MMVN) for roughly 22.5 billion baht. Mrs Thapanee said integrating MMVN enables BJC to operate seamlessly across the entire value chain, from product development and procurement to distribution and retail channels.
For example, the group adapts its food and tissue products into tailored pack sizes for households and food-service operators.
Demand insights from MMVN help BJC's manufacturing divisions identify clear opportunities for new product development.
"The growth opportunity in Vietnam lies in interconnecting manufacturing, distribution and retail to generate shared value: the stronger the integration, the more competitive each individual business becomes," she said.
Through localised retailing, data analytics, regional expansion and end-to-end supply chain synergies, Mrs Thapanee has positioned BJC as a retail leader in the region.
Her leadership and strategic vision make her a deserving recipient of the Bangkok Post's CEO of the Year 2026 award for Strategic Transformation Excellence.
Easy Money's lending revolution
The Thai loan company now focuses on lending money to people with collateral like gold and jewellery, describing its mobile app as a 'Pawn Shop in Your Hand'
CEO of the Year: Business Transformation Excellence
Suthee Panaworn Chief Executive Officer, Easy Money Group
Suthee Panaworn.
A fundamental shift in perspective, from viewing users as borrowers to treating them as customers, marked the beginning of Easy Money's journey to transform the traditional pawnshop business into a modern alternative financial service provider, according to Suthee Panaworn, chief executive officer of Tangthanasin Co Ltd, which operates the Easy Money brand.
This customer-centric approach reflects the broader business transformation recognised with the CEO of the Year 2026 Award in the Business Transformation Excellence category.
Customers first
More than 21 years ago, Easy Money began rethinking its approach to customers in the asset-backed lending business. Rather than simply people seeking loans, the company began recognising their broader financial needs and the untapped financial potential of the assets they already owned.
"For us, transformation begins with a fundamental change in mindset: seeing customers not simply as borrowers, but as people seeking to unlock the financial value of assets they already own," he said.
To reinforce this approach, Easy Money introduced standardised customer dialogue and service practices to ensure that every customer is treated with respect, dignity and professionalism throughout their interactions with the company.
This shift in perspective underpins the company's commitment to unlocking the potential of customers' existing assets and creating greater financial flexibility across different customer segments.
Easy Money helps individuals, families and business owners meet financial needs, navigate challenges and seize new opportunities by using their assets as a source of liquidity, according to Mr Suthee.
The company also streamlined its operational processes to deliver faster service and more accurate asset appraisals. Easy Money handles every pledged item with care, maintains operational transparency, and ensures that assets are returned in their original condition upon redemption, helping to build lasting customer trust.
Digital transformation
As part of its broader transformation, Easy Money is enhancing the customer experience by connecting its physical branches with digital services. The company developed the Easy Smart app, a digital platform that allows customers to manage their pawn transactions more conveniently through their mobile devices.
"Known as a 'Pawn Shop in Your Hand', the Easy Smart app allows customers to carry out transactions remotely using their mobile devices, anytime and anywhere," Mr Suthee said.
Key features include interest payments, loan top-ups, principal repayments and contract renewals, allowing customers to manage their financial transactions with greater convenience and flexibility. The app also serves as a direct communication channel, providing promotional offers and advance notifications before contracts expire.
Looking ahead, Mr Suthee said Easy Smart would serve as the core platform connecting Easy Money's physical and digital services, enabling the company to respond to a wider range of customer needs.
Growth and sustainability
Over the next 3-5 years, Easy Money aims to expand its business while strengthening its position as a trusted alternative financial service provider, offering greater access to liquidity through asset-backed financing. The company intends to align business expansion with its commitment to long-term sustainability.
"We define business sustainability as earning and maintaining long-term customer trust. Sustainable growth is not simply about how fast a business grows, but how much value it creates as it grows," Mr Suthee said.
In line with this approach, Easy Money will continue to develop as an alternative financial service provider that complements Thailand's broader financial system. The company also plans to invest in people and improve processes to strengthen its capabilities over the longer term.
In addition to the company's existing range of accepted assets, including gold, luxury watches, fine jewellery, branded goods and electronics, Easy Money is preparing to expand into new categories of valuable assets, creating more opportunities for customers to access liquidity from the assets they own.
Mr Suthee stressed that Easy Money's long-term ambition extends beyond business growth. By unlocking the financial potential of assets people already own, the company aims to create greater financial opportunities while contributing to the development of Thailand's broader financial landscape.
