In Brief: Ina Plunien, a rising star in the hospitality industry, has been honored with the 2026 ISHC Young Leader Award at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF).
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From left to right: Andrea Belfanti, CEO, ISHC, Ina Plunien, Senior Vice President – Hospitality, Cain (previously Cedar Capital Partners Limited), Alexi Khajavi, Group President, Hospitality, Travel & Wellness, Questex – Image Credit ISHC
The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) in partnership with the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF EMEA) presented the prestigious ISHC Young Leader Award to Ina Plunien, Senior Vice President – Hospitality, Cain (previously Cedar Capital Partners Limited).
Ina has quickly distinguished herself as one of the hospitality industry’s most dynamic emerging leaders through her exceptional performance, breadth of expertise, commitment to mentorship, and significant contributions across deal sourcing, acquisitions, asset management, and successful disposals. Ina’s unique ability to lead across the full lifecycle of hospitality investments, from initial underwriting through repositioning and refinancing, sets her apart. Beyond her technical excellence, she is widely recognized for her integrity, collaborative approach, and dedication to developing future talent, actively mentoring junior team members and contributing to their career progression. A respected industry voice, Ina is also an active speaker and engaged member of key organizations, further underscoring her impact and leadership within the global hospitality community.
“Receiving this recognition is a real honor,” shared Ina, “While hard work, dedication, and care for both your work and the people around you are essential, opportunities like this don’t happen unless someone notices, supports you, and goes the extra mile to advocate for you. I am incredibly grateful to those who have done exactly that throughout my career, and who have been so generous with their time and trust. I hope this award can serve as a reminder to be the person we all needed when we were starting out – because those small actions make a meaningful difference.”
ISHC’s CEO Andrea Belfanti commented, “Ina represents the very best of the next generation of hospitality leaders. Her ability to combine deep technical expertise with strong integrity, collaborative leadership, and a genuine commitment to developing others is truly exceptional. She is already making a meaningful impact on the industry, and we are proud to recognize her as a Young Leader who will help shape the future of hospitality.”
Alexi Khajavi, Group President, Hospitality & Real Estate at Questex shared, “We’re delighted to partner with ISHC in recognizing Ina Plunien, Senior Vice President, Cedar Capital Partners Limited as this year’s Young Leader Award at IHIF. Ina is the consummate example of what the Young Leader Award seeks to recognize and reward; intelligent, curious, creative and possesses both depth and breadth of expertise across the full lifecycle of hospitality investments. We look forward to seeing Ina excel for years to come.”
The Young Leader Award was established by ISHC and IHIF in 2009 to recognize and celebrate the excellence of young emerging leaders in the hospitality industry. Candidates must meet the following criteria and be nominated by someone they work with:
- Is 35 years of age or younger, born on or after 1 April 1990
- Currently works for or directly within the hospitality sector (no vendors/industry suppliers)
- Is recognized by peers and industry members as an emerging leader for the hospitality industry
- Whose contributions are already making an impact on the hospitality industry
Respected CEOs from across the hotel industry reviewed a shortlist of nomination forms of outstanding candidates before voting on the winner.
