Abrera elected to ABS-CBN board

Former advertising agency CEO Emily Abrera was recently elected to the board of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, replacing Manolo M. Lopez who gave up his board seat he held for 15 years to pave the way for another independent director outside of the Lopez family.

This was announced by ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio Lopez III, who said that "Ms. Abrera brings to the board a point of view distilled from her wealth of experience and creativity in marketing, media and advertising."

Abrera was formerly chairperson of McCann Erickson Philippines for five years and was the president/chief executive officer for seven years of the same advertising agency. She occupied key positions in the Advertising Board of the Philippines and was a recipient of the "Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philippine Creative Guild."

"With her unequalled expertise in the advertising industry, Ms. Abrera can definitely contribute to the networkwide comprehensive program called " a new beginning, " Lopez added.

Abrera’s election to the board came at the time when the network is embarking on a reenginnering of its organization, program, processes and systems with the end in mind of strengthening its leadership position in the media industry and restoring financial growth.

The other independent members of the board are Atty. Augusto Almeda-Lopez, ABS-CBN Vice-Chairman; Luis F. Alejandro, ABS-CBN President; Peter D. Garucho, Jr., managing director for Energy of First Philippine Holdings Corporatiion and Vice-Chairman and CEO of First Generation Holdings Corporation; Cesar B. Bautista, former Ambassador to the Court of St. James and Trade and Industry Secretary; and Fr. Carmelo A. Caluag, S.J., trustee of the Ateneo de Manila University and Ateneo Scholarship Foundation.