Sappe Public Company Limited (SAPPE) once again reinforces its image as a globally recognized Thai enterprise as its Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Piyajit Ruckariyapong, was invited to speak at the Global Summit of Women 2025 one of the world’s most influential international gatherings of women leaders. The 35th edition of the summit was held in Berlin, Germany from July 3–5, 2025 under the theme “Women: Restoring Values in the Digital Age” and brought together over 1,000 participants from more than 60 countries. Ms. Ruckariyapong joined the Women CEO Forum as a panelist under the theme “Should Companies Take a Position on Socio-Cultural Issues?”, alongside top executives from global corporations such as Commerzbank (Germany), Dow Europe (Switzerland), McCann Worldgroup Europe (Spain), and SAPPE PCL. (Thailand). Moderated by Ms. Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women, the session highlighted the role of modern women as not just innovators but leaders in restoring values and ethics to business and society in the digital era.
During the panel, Ms. Ruckariyapong shared SAPPE’s inspiring journey from its humble beginnings as a small food business founded by a second-generation Thai-Chinese family to becoming a global innovator in the beverage industry, exporting to over 100 countries. The only daughter among three brothers, she began her career in finance at global institutions such as Deutsche Bank, Barclays Capital, and BNP Paribas. She was later called back to SAPPE during a pivotal moment as the company prepared to go public, where she played a key role as CFO. When her elder brother stepped down, she was appointed CEO and has since driven the company’s international expansion.
On stage, she clearly affirmed that SAPPE firmly believes in being a company that “takes a stand for what it believes in” not just in marketing strategies but in giving voice to important social and cultural issues. She emphasized the company’s three core values embedded in its DNA: innovation, women empowerment, and diversity and inclusion. SAPPE was the pioneer of the “Snack Drink” category, with its globally successful Mogu Mogu a fruit juice drink with chewy nata de coco that transformed the global beverage landscape. In addition, SAPPE developed Sappe Beauti Drink, a functional beverage line that reflects its commitment to women’s well-being and self-care. Last year, SAPPE launched the powerful “Self-Love” campaign, encouraging women to embrace their inner beauty and become agents of change in society.
SAPPE also strongly upholds principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Women make up 53% of the company’s workforce and 60% of its senior management an outcome that reflects its values in action. Speaking on leadership and internal culture, Ms. Ruckariyapong highlighted SAPPE’s flat organizational structure that enables inclusive decision-making, two-way communication, and a workplace culture built on mutual respect. Communication with stakeholders occurs through multiple channels, such as quarterly meetings with shareholders, social listening platforms for consumer feedback, and open-door policies that allow employees at all levels to directly engage with senior management.
“My door is always open. I encourage everyone to speak up with respect. That’s how we align the organization to move forward as one,” she shared.
As the leader of a global company, she also emphasized the importance of respecting cultural diversity and avoiding one-size-fits-all strategies across countries. She believes that CEOs must “Walk The Talk,” upholding transparency, honesty, and accountability in every action not only to shareholders and consumers, but also to society.
In terms of engaging the new generation, she noted that 20% of SAPPE’s workforce is Gen Z, and that this demographic values purpose deeply. “They want to know what they’re doing, why it matters, and what impact it creates. That’s why we ensure that our mission, values, and goals are communicated clearly. We also support mental well-being, set clear performance benchmarks, and build a culture of belonging,” she explained. This approach helps SAPPE remain agile and innovative in an ever-evolving world.
Her participation in the Global Summit of Women reflects not only SAPPE’s growing international presence but also a broader message that Thai companies can be a force for good on the global stage. With creativity, vision, and a commitment to meaningful values, businesses can lead cultural sustainability not just through numbers, but through the courage to drive positive change.
About the Global Summit of Women
The Global Summit of Women is one of the most influential international platforms advancing women’s leadership in business, government, and civil society. Celebrating its 35th edition in 2025, the summit brought together over 1,000 participants from more than 60 countries, including ministers, senior executives, and CEOs from top corporations such as IBM, EY, UNCTAD, Huawei, Adecco, Bayer, Mercedes-AMG, National Bank of Australia, and Commerzbank. The summit featured a diverse agenda, from high-level plenaries on global megatrends and digital transformation, to skill-building workshops and public-private policy dialogues. This platform not only fosters inspiration and cross-border collaboration but also contributes to real policy outcomes from narrowing gender pay gaps to advancing quotas for women in leadership and promoting inclusive economic growth.
