Scaling Minor Hotels Globally & Leading with Purpose | 5 Star Conversations with Wayne Williams

In this episode of Five Star Conversations, I sit down with Wayne Williams, CFO of the Minor Hotel Group. Over two decades, Wayne has played a key role in the group’s transformation—from 10 properties in Thailand to more than 560 hotels across 58 countries. We unpack the operational shifts, cultural adaptation, and leadership mindset that helped drive this global expansion, while staying true to service excellence.

Wayne offers candid insights into how the Minor Hotel Group is embracing technology to elevate the guest experience—balancing automation with personal attention, and making sure the tech serves people, not the other way around. We also explore the growing importance of curation, wellness, ESG, and how hotels can future-proof through behavioural and organisational change—not just digital transformation.

Beyond the boardroom, Wayne shares his long-standing support of Hands Across the Water, a charity focused on creating opportunities for children across Thailand. It’s a powerful reminder of the impact hoteliers can have—both within the industry and in the communities they serve. A thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with one of the most respected financial leaders in global hospitality.

Wayne Williams' Bio:
Wayne Williams is Chief Financial Officer for the Minor Hotel Group, the hotel division of the Thai-listed company Minor International. He has more than 20 years’ experience working in Thailand and has been with Minor International for more than 18 years. In that time, the hotel group has grown from having 10 hotels to now having over 564 hotels in more than 58 countries, with a turnover in excess of USD $5 billion last year.

Prior to joining Minor, Wayne held a number of senior finance roles in hotels and hospitality businesses in Thailand, Australia, and the Pacific. Wayne was previously President of the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and was a member of the Thailand Board of Trade. He is currently Vice President of the Advance Australia Council of Thailand and is a board member of the Hands Across the Water charity foundation. An AustCham Presidents’ Award winner in 2024, he was not only voted by peers in 2023 as a Top 10 Global CFO in the annual Icon Awards in the US, but his hotel team won the Global Finance Team of the Year in 2024. A Commerce graduate from the University of Queensland, he has been an Australian CPA certified for over 20 years.


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