Chenda Clais: "Cambodian Women Have Conquered Their Place, But It Must Be Consolidated"

Dans les locaux feutrés du Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, où se tenaient vendredi dernier l’AWEN Awards Gala et le Pinnacle Entrepreneurs Forum 2025, Chenda Clais circulait avec la sérénité de celles qui ont, depuis longtemps, trouvé leur place dans l’entrepreneuriat régional.

Chenda Clais

A committed founder in responsible tourism and president of the Airavata elephant conservation foundation based in Ratanakiri, she embodies a form of female leadership both discreet, determined, and deeply rooted in the Cambodian territory.

A Guest Wearing Many Hats

"I am invited here wearing several hats," smiles Chenda Clais, sitting apart from the hustle of the conference room. "First as a female entrepreneur active in tourism for more than twenty-five years, but also as president of the Airavata elephant conservation project in Ratanakiri."

Her journey is intimately linked to the evolution of AWEN in the region. A few years ago, it was in Thailand that she received an ASEAN distinction awarded to women business leaders. Today, it is Cambodia’s turn to host this major event before passing the torch to Laos for the next edition. Meanwhile, Chenda has also become an active member of the Cambodia Women Business Federation (CWBF), a network of women business leaders increasingly influential in the economic landscape.

"It is important to be present, not just to represent a project or company, but to show that Cambodian women are fully active players in the regional dynamics," she insists.

An Event That Gathers and Energizes

For Chenda, the significance of this day goes far beyond protocol and official speeches. "This event is very important because it brings everyone together, especially women, but also the men who support them," she explains. Over five hundred participants gathered in Phnom Penh for this edition, between panels, networking sessions, and preparing the grand gala evening, during which the "Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs" of the ten ASEAN countries are honored.

Beyond the numbers, it is the quality of interactions that matters.

"This kind of forum allows women business leaders from all over Asia to reconnect with former laureates, see how our businesses have evolved, what new activities we have added, what challenges we have had to overcome. We exchange experiences, share ideas, and also doubts."

For Cambodia, this regional stage offers a valuable showcase. "It is an opportunity to show that women work here as much as men, that they lead companies, associations, ambitious projects. It proves that our country is neither isolated nor behind: we are full members of this Asian community, and we are active."

Cambodian Women: A Place Conquered, But to Consolidate

Asked about the progress to be made for Cambodian women to fully find their place in the business world, Chenda looks back.

"Compared to the past, the difference is huge. Today, women have their place. One can no longer say there is a systematic barrier between men and women. Personally, wherever I go, I am well received by men, including in business circles."

She notes with satisfaction the rise of women leaders in both the private sector and public institutions. "There are more and more women in decision-making positions. This is very positive.

" But this observation does not mean everything is won. The path is not so long anymore, but there is one condition: women must also do their part. Some remain too timid, don’t dare to move forward, hesitate to take responsibilities. Others, on the contrary, are very courageous, very active. The space exists, the opportunity is there; one must dare to seize it."

Her message is clear: structures are changing, networks are strengthening, but momentum must also come from each individual. Female entrepreneurship is no longer just a matter of institutional recognition, it is also a matter of self-confidence, risk-taking, and solidarity among peers.

Tourism: Between Resilience and Concern

Chenda keeps a clear-eyed view of the situation. "This year, tourism is not as good as last year, and we have not yet returned to pre-Covid levels," she notes. The international crisis, economic situation, and geopolitical tensions continue to impact visitor flows.

"It is difficult for everyone, but especially for the tourism sector, which is very sensitive to the slightest disturbance," she continues. Still, she maintains a pragmatic optimism:

"We hope that next year will be better, with an increase in tourist numbers. Cambodia’s potential remains immense, but it takes time to rebuild trust and travel habits."

In the corridors of the forum, conversations often turn to this topic. Regional comparisons are never far. "I hear that Vietnam, for example, sees its numbers rise again, that some markets are doing very well. I prefer, for my part, to concentrate on Cambodia and what we can improve here, rather than commenting on the performance of our neighbors."

Airavata: Commitment Beyond Business

Behind the businesswoman’s profile, the Airavata project tells another side of Chenda: that of an entrepreneur committed to preserving a living heritage, both cultural and natural. The foundation works to safeguard the last domesticated elephants of Ratanakiri and the know-how of the mahouts, the elephant trainers whose bond with the animal dates back millennia.

This choice reflects a vision of entrepreneurship that goes beyond simple profitability. For Chenda, tourism can and must fit into a logic of responsibility, transmission, and respect for local communities. At a time when the world questions the impact of mass tourism, this positioning gives her career a particularly resonant meaning.

One Voice Among Many, But an Emblematic Journey

Amid the grand announcements and impressive figures of the AWEN Awards and the Pinnacle Entrepreneurs Forum, Chenda Clais’s voice reminds us that female entrepreneurship in ASEAN is also played out in individual stories: a young woman who committed 25 years ago to tourism, who patiently built her network, who invested in a conservation cause, joined federations, and who, one day, found herself celebrated among the "Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs" of the region.

Without emphasis, but with quiet conviction, she sums up the spirit of this weekend in Phnom Penh: "We are no longer peripheral. Asian businesswomen are here, they work, they lead, they innovate. And above all, they support each other. That is what makes this generation strong."