Speaker
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LISA LUTOFF-PERLOCEO FIFA World Cup 2026Global hospitality powerhouse and South Florida Business Journal and Forbes Travel Guide Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo is President & CEO of FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee. Lisa brings her nearly four decades-long leadership, strategic vision, and business success to the “pitch” as the head of the Miami Host Committee. She is responsible for leading the strategy, fundraising, fan activations, and operations for the seven FIFA World Cup matches Miami will host in 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium. Lisa’s tested commitment to excellence, innovation, and outstanding results will drive the Miami Host Committee’s success when the world’s most popular sport, football, with more than 3.5 billion fans worldwide, descends upon the world’s largest sports and entertainment destination, the “Magic City.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ is anticipated to be one of the most significant sporting events globally, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This edition will feature an expanded format with 48 teams, providing more nations with the opportunity to participate. The collaborative effort among the three countries reflects the tournament’s ability to unite nations through the universal language of football. As a spectacle of international unity and competition, the event is expected to draw massive global attention, fostering cultural exchanges and leaving a lasting impact on the host nations.
Lutoff-Perlo is a recognized icon and trailblazer in the global hospitality industry. With unparalleled brand vision and stewardship, she transformed and re-defined today’s relaxed luxury cruise experience with the launch of the bold, innovative Edge Series ships in 2018. Immediately hailed as game-changing for the industry and recognized on TIME Magazine’s annual “World’s Greatest Places” list, among hundreds of additional awards for innovation and service, the ships drove unprecedented demand for the brand.
In 2021, Lutoff-Perlo’s operational acumen and foresight was highlighted as she led the entire industry back into service following the 15-month pandemic shutdown, when her then flagship, Celebrity Edge, was the first ship approved to sail from a U.S. port once again. She then remarkably returned the entire Celebrity fleet of 15 ships to operations over the course of the next year, including launching two new Edge Series ships, Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Beyond. In 2023, Celebrity Cruises’ ships were the first in the world to earn the coveted star rating from Forbes Travel Guide.
Taking the helm as President and CEO at Celebrity Cruises in 2014, Lutoff-Perlo led the company into an era of unprecedented growth. Her unique skill in managing the business with a guest-first approach, fueled by data-driven insights and digital innovation, led to accelerated financial performance for the brand. She recounts her lessons learned on this journey in her leadership book, “Making Waves: A Woman’s Rise to the Top Using Smarts, Heart and Courage” available in February, 2024.
She is a member of the Board of Directors of Fortune 500 company AutoNation (NYSE: AN), America’s largest and most recognized automotive retailer, where she sits on the Audit and Governance Committees. She also actively lends her expertise to numerous international and regional nonprofit organizations and currently serves as the Chair of the board for the United Way of Broward County.
Throughout her nearly 40 years at the company, and prior to becoming CEO, Lutoff-Perlo enjoyed a succession of progressive sales, marketing and operations leadership roles at RCL with expanding scope, responsibility and P&L oversight. In 2005, she was named Celebrity’s first female Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations and, in 2012, she was named Executive Vice President of Operations for Royal Caribbean, becoming the first woman in the industry to oversee both hotel and marine operations.
Known as a bold and strategic innovator, with a keen ability to identify market opportunities; lead digital transformations to tap into consumer trends and ignite guest loyalty; build high-performing, culturally-inclusive teams; and motivate entire organizations to execute and opearate with an unwavering commitment to excellence and results, some of her significant accomplishments have included:
Overseeing more than $5B in capex investment to envision and deliver the most ergonomic and stunning ships at sea and modernizing the existing Celebrity fleet, resulting in record financial performance and transforming an industry;
Leveraging data analytics as an essential component to better understand consumer motivations; evaluate campaigns; personalize digital content; trigger loyalty; and, ultimately, attract new audiences.
Rebranding Celebrity and solidifying industry-leading luxury brand partnerships with such organizations as Forbes Travel Guide and Chef Daniel Boulud.
Achieving record employee engagement with a global workforce of more than 20,000 crew members from over 70 different countries sailing to 300 destinations around the world and developing a new, award-winning service culture that resulted in historic net promoter scores.
Establishing and leading the industry-first consolidated Global Marine Organization, overseeing 64 ships and 5 brands throughout the Groups corporate fleet, maximizing efficiencies and best practices.
Catalyzing cultural innovation in the 200-year-old-industry, appointing the first American woman as Captain and increasing Celebrity’s percentage of women on the bridge from 3% to 32%, far exceeding the maritime industry average of 2%.Lutoff-Perlo has received numerous awards for her groundbreaking contributions to the cruise industry, travel industry, the South Florida business community, gender equality, and diversity and inclusion including an Honorary Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University; Lifetime Achievement Awards from the South Florida Business Journal, Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) and Women in Travel; induction into the International Hall of Fame by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey; Leadership in Diversity Award from the Committee for Economic Development; and the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Center Val-Kill Medal of Honor, acknowledging individuals whose far-reaching influence has made our world a better place.
Speaker
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LISA LUTOFF-PERLOCEO FIFA World Cup 2026
Global hospitality powerhouse and South Florida Business Journal and Forbes Travel Guide Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo is President & CEO of FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee. Lisa brings her nearly four decades-long leadership, strategic vision, and business success to the “pitch” as the head of the Miami Host Committee. She is responsible for leading the strategy, fundraising, fan activations, and operations for the seven FIFA World Cup matches Miami will host in 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium. Lisa’s tested commitment to excellence, innovation, and outstanding results will drive the Miami Host Committee’s success when the world’s most popular sport, football, with more than 3.5 billion fans worldwide, descends upon the world’s largest sports and entertainment destination, the “Magic City.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ is anticipated to be one of the most significant sporting events globally, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This edition will feature an expanded format with 48 teams, providing more nations with the opportunity to participate. The collaborative effort among the three countries reflects the tournament’s ability to unite nations through the universal language of football. As a spectacle of international unity and competition, the event is expected to draw massive global attention, fostering cultural exchanges and leaving a lasting impact on the host nations.
Lutoff-Perlo is a recognized icon and trailblazer in the global hospitality industry. With unparalleled brand vision and stewardship, she transformed and re-defined today’s relaxed luxury cruise experience with the launch of the bold, innovative Edge Series ships in 2018. Immediately hailed as game-changing for the industry and recognized on TIME Magazine’s annual “World’s Greatest Places” list, among hundreds of additional awards for innovation and service, the ships drove unprecedented demand for the brand.
In 2021, Lutoff-Perlo’s operational acumen and foresight was highlighted as she led the entire industry back into service following the 15-month pandemic shutdown, when her then flagship, Celebrity Edge, was the first ship approved to sail from a U.S. port once again. She then remarkably returned the entire Celebrity fleet of 15 ships to operations over the course of the next year, including launching two new Edge Series ships, Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Beyond. In 2023, Celebrity Cruises’ ships were the first in the world to earn the coveted star rating from Forbes Travel Guide.
Taking the helm as President and CEO at Celebrity Cruises in 2014, Lutoff-Perlo led the company into an era of unprecedented growth. Her unique skill in managing the business with a guest-first approach, fueled by data-driven insights and digital innovation, led to accelerated financial performance for the brand. She recounts her lessons learned on this journey in her leadership book, “Making Waves: A Woman’s Rise to the Top Using Smarts, Heart and Courage” available in February, 2024.
She is a member of the Board of Directors of Fortune 500 company AutoNation (NYSE: AN), America’s largest and most recognized automotive retailer, where she sits on the Audit and Governance Committees. She also actively lends her expertise to numerous international and regional nonprofit organizations and currently serves as the Chair of the board for the United Way of Broward County.
Throughout her nearly 40 years at the company, and prior to becoming CEO, Lutoff-Perlo enjoyed a succession of progressive sales, marketing and operations leadership roles at RCL with expanding scope, responsibility and P&L oversight. In 2005, she was named Celebrity’s first female Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations and, in 2012, she was named Executive Vice President of Operations for Royal Caribbean, becoming the first woman in the industry to oversee both hotel and marine operations.
Known as a bold and strategic innovator, with a keen ability to identify market opportunities; lead digital transformations to tap into consumer trends and ignite guest loyalty; build high-performing, culturally-inclusive teams; and motivate entire organizations to execute and opearate with an unwavering commitment to excellence and results, some of her significant accomplishments have included:
Overseeing more than $5B in capex investment to envision and deliver the most ergonomic and stunning ships at sea and modernizing the existing Celebrity fleet, resulting in record financial performance and transforming an industry;
Leveraging data analytics as an essential component to better understand consumer motivations; evaluate campaigns; personalize digital content; trigger loyalty; and, ultimately, attract new audiences.
Rebranding Celebrity and solidifying industry-leading luxury brand partnerships with such organizations as Forbes Travel Guide and Chef Daniel Boulud.
Achieving record employee engagement with a global workforce of more than 20,000 crew members from over 70 different countries sailing to 300 destinations around the world and developing a new, award-winning service culture that resulted in historic net promoter scores.
Establishing and leading the industry-first consolidated Global Marine Organization, overseeing 64 ships and 5 brands throughout the Groups corporate fleet, maximizing efficiencies and best practices.
Catalyzing cultural innovation in the 200-year-old-industry, appointing the first American woman as Captain and increasing Celebrity’s percentage of women on the bridge from 3% to 32%, far exceeding the maritime industry average of 2%.Lutoff-Perlo has received numerous awards for her groundbreaking contributions to the cruise industry, travel industry, the South Florida business community, gender equality, and diversity and inclusion including an Honorary Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University; Lifetime Achievement Awards from the South Florida Business Journal, Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) and Women in Travel; induction into the International Hall of Fame by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey; Leadership in Diversity Award from the Committee for Economic Development; and the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Center Val-Kill Medal of Honor, acknowledging individuals whose far-reaching influence has made our world a better place.
