'Ayala is best-managed firm in RP; Zobel, Cu best CEOs'

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala Corp. was cited as the best-managed company in the Philippines by FinanceAsia in its 10th annual poll of Asia ‘s top companies.

Ayala Corp. chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Globe Telecom president and CEO Ernest Cu were selected as the country’s best chief executive officers.

In addition to the outstanding overall performance in this year’s survey, Ayala led Philippine companies for “Best Corporate Governance” and “Best Corporate Social Responsibility.” It placed second for “Best Investor Relations” and third in the category “Most Committed to a Strong Dividend Policy.”

Ayala subsidiaries Globe Telecom, Manila Water, and Ayala Land ranked in second, third, and eighth place, respectively, among the Philippines’ best managed companies. Together with Bank of the Philippine Islands, these companies also figured prominently in the four categories. Moreover, Manila Water received the nod for best mid-capitalization company and Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp. was best small-cap company.

Albert de Larrazabal of Globe and Luis Juan Oreta of Manila Water were named best chief finance officers in the Philippines.

The FinanceAsia poll was conducted among more than 300 investors and analysts across the region. Other companies that made it to the list of best managed companies in the Philippines were PLDT, San Miguel, Aboitiz Power, SM Prime Holdings, SM Investments Corp, Jollibee Foods, and Aboitiz Equity Ventures.