We are delighted to have Lisa Lutoff-Perlo joining us on the show today.
Lisa is the new FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee CEO. She is an exceptional leader who changed our industry, and she recently wrote a book called Making Waves.
Previously, Lisa was the Vice Chairman of External Affairs at Royal Caribbean Group and their first female leader. She also served as President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises.
Stay tuned for Lisa’s inspiring story and valuable insights!
Reflection on Career Accomplishments
Lisa’s desire to reflect on her career achievements and seek new challenges influenced her decision to leave her long-standing role. After transforming the public relations and marketing industry and overcoming significant hurdles, she felt it was time to enjoy life and explore new ventures. Various personal experiences, including the loss of her sister during the pandemic, also influenced her decision.
Navigating Change with Courage
Lisa embraced the opportunity to step into her new role with FIFA despite having initial reservations about the soccer world. Her courage to face a new and daunting challenge reflects her ongoing commitment to personal and professional growth. The chance to be part of such a significant event and the historic nature of the World Cup also fueled her enthusiasm.
Addressing the Needs of Various Stakeholders
Lisa is ready to address the diverse needs of various stakeholders involved in the World Cup, from high-profile individuals to local sponsors. Her approach combines respect, direct communication, and humility, and she aims to build strong and respectful relationships with all parties involved. Her approach is rooted in her extensive experience managing complex teams and high-pressure environments.
Leveraging the World Cup for Community Benefits
The World Cup’s impact goes beyond immediate economic gains, providing enduring benefits to the community. Lisa has dedicated herself to using the event to drive positive change in South Florida by focusing on supporting local businesses, generating job opportunities, and enhancing tourism. Her approach aims to ensure that the legacy of the World Cup includes lasting improvements for residents and businesses, reinforcing her commitment to maximizing the event’s positive effects on the region.
Enhancing Local Infrastructure and Programs
The legacy programs associated with the World Cup include building soccer pitches and developing comprehensive community programs. Those initiatives aim to support youth engagement, mental health, and environmental sustainability, ensuring that the benefits of the World Cup extend well beyond the event itself and contribute to the long-term well-being of the community.
Encouraging Leadership Development
Lisa’s Leadership Academy represents her commitment to fostering effective leadership. She highlights the importance of ongoing leadership development and invites individuals to join the academy to enhance their skills and improve their impact as leaders. This initiative reflects her dedication to nurturing future leaders and improving organizational outcomes.
Call for Collaboration and Support
Lisa actively seeks collaboration and support for her leadership initiatives and the legacy projects of the World Cup. She encourages individuals and organizations to participate in those efforts, whether through involvement in the Leadership Academy or contributions to community and environmental programs. Her call for support underscores her belief in the collective effort to drive positive change.
Bio: Lisa Lutoff-Perlo:
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo is CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee responsible for all aspects World Cup strategies and operations for the matches in Miami. Previously she was Vice Chairman, External Affairs for the Royal Caribbean Group, where she worked on broad strategic initiatives with industry organizations and key external stakeholders. Before that, she served as President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises from 2014 to 2023, the first woman to take the helm of a Royal Caribbean Group brand and one of the few women then leading a multi-billion dollar brand.
Lutoff-Perlo is a recognized trailblazer in the global hospitality industry. She was the driving force behind transforming and redefining today’s relaxed luxury cruise experience with a bold, innovative approach to ship design and service for the industry and the Celebrity Cruises brand. Launching Celebrity’s Edge series in 2018, the ships were immediately hailed as game-changing for the industry and recognized on TIME Magazine’s annual “World’s Greatest Places” list. She also led the Celebrity brand through a digital transformation, tapping into new market opportunities, customer trends, a robust digital marketing focus, and increasing guest loyalty.
In the years leading up to the global pandemic, Lutoff-Perlo led Celebrity Cruises to historic financial performance. She then led the industry back into service on June 26, 2021, when Celebrity Edge was the first ship to sail from a U.S. port, and she returned the brand’s business performance to within historical ranges in the first full year of post-pandemic operation. In 2023, Celebrity Cruises’ ships were the first in the world to earn the coveted star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, further solidifying the brand’s relaxed luxury resorts at sea brand positioning.
A purpose-driven leader, Lutoff-Perlo also catalyzed cultural progress in the 200-year-old cruise industry by appointing the first American female Captain and the first West African woman to work on the bridge of a cruise ship, making history with the first all-female bridge and leadership sailing in 2020; and, ultimately, increasing Celebrity’s percentage of women on the bridge to 32%, far exceeding the maritime industry average of 2%.
She is Chairwoman of the Board for Hornblower Group and a member of the Board of Directors of Fortune 500 company AutoNation (NYSE: AN) and actively lends her expertise to numerous international and regional nonprofit organization boards.
Lutoff-Perlo shares her powerful career stories and lessons learned in her leadership book, “Making Waves: A Woman’s Rise to the Top Using Smarts, Heart and Courage,” available in February 2024.
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