From pawnshop to community financial services

MANILA, Philippines - In the past 20 years, Michael Lhuillier has helped their family business, M. Lhuillier, evolve to become one of the country’s leading community financial service institutions nationwide.  With the M. Lhuillier name carrying a legacy of serving the Filipino people, Michael sets his vision on reaching more Filipinos wherever they may be. 

Like his father, Michel Lhuillier, who also learned about the jewelry and financial service business from his own father, Henri, Michael was exposed to the family business at an early age.  Even before he reached his teen years, he spent summers helping out in the company through tellering functions and customer service, as well as interacting with M. Lhuillier employees.  This has helped him to better appreciate the family business and enabled them to get insights on what the company needed.

After graduating with a degree in Economics at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California in 1991, Michael went home to Cebu to join the family business as marketing director.  Determined to help improve their business, he delved in the various facets of daily operations. In his capacity, he helped move products at wholesale prices, enabling the company to improve their financial standing.  Because of this initiative, M. Lhuillier outlets were able to expand by branching outside of the Visayas.

From a mom-and-pop store concept, Michael helped in professionalizing their company by focusing on improving managerial skills, bringing more structure to the business, establishing core values, putting systems in place, and more importantly, setting a vision of growth for the company.

Michael credits M. Lhuillier’s current success to the company’s corporate values of integrity and honesty. His own standards of ethics are laudable as his commitment to provide fair, competitive rates to Filipinos remain unfaltering.

Pioneering concepts

In the past, many Filipinos had the dilemma of sending money safely to their loved ones.  People sent their money either through snail mail or simply relied on other people to deliver their money.  Then in 1998, Michael introduced ML Kwarta Padala to the public, allowing for efficient, reliable and convenient community financial service through electronic money transfer.  Michael also changed the game in the lending business by offering short-term weekend loans where customers are offered lower interest rates.

Michael’s vision is to be wherever Filipinos are around the globe. In 2009, Michael expanded the M. Lhuillier business by venturing overseas through strategic alliances and partnerships.  To date, the company has grown around the world with 12 M. Lhuillier branches in California and 100 affiliates in key cities where many Filipinos are present, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, UK, the United States and Australia. 

Aside from jewelry, loans and remittance services, the M. Lhuillier Group of Companies portfolio now includes real estate holdings, construction projects, poultry farms, tropical fruit processing, and bulk water supply.  The company also exclusively distributes deli and wine at The Gustavian, one of the restaurants owned by the Lhuilliers. With branches in Banilad and Ayala Center in Cebu, the Gustavian specializes in European cuisine and houses a British pub called The Tap Room.

This year, Michael celebrates 20 years in his family business.  He remains dedicated  in sustaining the M. Lhuillier legacy of  bridging families who are apart and bridging Filipinos to their dreams and aspirations through M. Lhuillier’s reliable community financial service.  

Michael also recognizes his parents’ role in the company’s success.  He considers his mom, Amparito, as the rock of the family who has instilled in them strong values of honesty and integrity, while his father taught them entrepreneurial skills and inspired in them the courage to try out new business ventures.

Being part of the family business, Michael also wants his children to get involved. For him, serving Filipinos is what makes M. Lhuillier a living legacy.