Ayala Land embarks on major redirection

MANILA, Philippines — Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), the listed property giant of the Ayala Group, has commenced a shake-up of sorts as part of a major reinvention deemed necessary to adapt to the changing times.

As part of this realignment, ALI implemented changes in key positions by appointing seasoned expats and younger executives while some of the company’s old guards opted to retire.

“In life, you have to keep on reinventing,” Ayala Corp. and ALI chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala told The STAR last week when asked about the changes.

Zobel said their company took the opportunity to bring in new people as some of the executives approached retirement age.

“Premiumization is one (of the reasons), but also, there was a chance to bring in some new talent,” he said.

The reinvention efforts are centered on securing the best talent for key roles, making sure that ALI gets the best people who will drive the organization forward, insiders said.

As part of its organizational reinvention, ALI, which is led by Anna Margarita Dy as president and CEO, has recently filled 21 percent of its senior leadership positions with a diverse mix of talent, including foreign nationals and returning Filipinos.

According to ALI insiders, these leaders bring specialized expertise in areas such as customer experience, retail management, commercial operations, hospitality, brand strategy, technology and digital transformation.

“Their global perspectives, shaped by experience in regions like North America, the Middle East, APAC, and Micronesia, further enhance Ayala Land’s ability to drive innovation and strengthen its operations,” one source said.

One area of focus is elevating ALI’s hospitality business by undertaking a reinvention of its Seda Hotels and El Nido Resorts in Palawan.

Thus, ALI brought in seasoned hotelier George Aquino to head Ayala Land Hospitality as president and CEO.

George is a seasoned executive with more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality business.

He was previously with US-headquartered AHC Hospitality where he led its growth to 10 properties with additional five in development. He was also opening general manager of JW Marriott Grand Rapids, Michigan from Nov 2004 to Dec 2013.

Another senior executive brought in by ALI is Hans Lopez –Vito, former COO of BBDO Asia and BBDO Greater China where he led the strategy teams in Shanghai and across Greater China offices.

He is now the company’s head of Brand Experience and Brand Strategy for Residential, Estates and Corporate Group.

Hans is among the Asian region’s most experienced and awarded brand and communications strategists, according to his profile.

Under his leadership, BBDO campaigns have won more than 50 strategy and effectiveness awards in the region, highlighting his impact on the agency’s success and reputation in the industry. He served as the Chief Strategy Officer for BBDO Greater China, where he led the strategy teams in Shanghai and across Greater China offices.

As part of its reinvention, ALI also embarked on a P13-billion program to redevelop Glorietta and Greenbelt in Makati, Trinoma in Quezon City and Ayala Center Cebu.