Hot CEOs

For 2023-2024, I consider the following the best of our best CEOs:

1. Ramon S. Ang, 69, vice chair, president and CEO of San Miguel Corp. In two decades, RSA has re-engineered SMC into a corporate colossus unmatched in assets (P2.3 trillion), revenues (P1.5 trillion), commanding presence in many strategic industries (airports – Boracay, Bulacan and possibly NAIA; food, beverages, infrastructure, mass transit, power, cement and battery storage) and corporate social responsibility spending, all for the primary purpose of making life better for the Filipino, thus redefining the existentialist purpose of business. New businesses account for 60 percent of revenues.

RSA has just been named by Forbes magazine a star of philanthropy for 2023, along with Asia’s great taipans.

Forbes says Ang, a self-made billionaire, this year pledged P500 million ($9 million) to build schools for underprivileged children in Manila. Ang announced the donation in September as he inaugurated a 39-classroom school in Tondo, one of the city’s poorest districts, where he grew up.

“I strongly believe that empowering a wide range of Filipinos with education and skills is key to unlocking the country’s potential,” RSA told the magazine. “This includes not only the youth but also adults in less privileged areas who seek better jobs or want to start their own businesses.”

Forbes puts RSA’s wealth at $3.4 billion. Says the magazine: “Since 2020, Ang, through his RSA Foundation, has personally contributed over P150 million to scholarship grants and medical aid. Separately, SMC’s San Miguel Foundation spent over P1 billion to build five schools in the Metro Manila region, while donating P14.8 billion to support relief measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and earmarking another P3 billion to help clean up the city’s rivers.”

2. Teresita Sy-Coson, 73, chairman of BDO and vice chairman of SM Investments Corp., is Asia’s most powerful businesswoman. She presides over a sprawling conglomerate that touches every sector of the economy and makes a difference for people, no matter their status in life. The companies are the most valuable in market cap. SM has got it all. BDO finds ways. SM Prime builds resilience together. Tessie lives by Tatang Henry’s motto, “Be the best.” For all her power and influence, Tessie has remained calm and self-effacing, yet conveying confidence and singular toughness.

3. Manuel V. Pangilinan, 77, chair of PLDT and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Meralco. His lifetime commitment to delivering the best in shareholder value, products and services in crucial sectors of the economy has improved immensely the lives and lifestyles of millions. His PLDT-Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is No. 1 in telco – fixed and mobile, electricity retailing and generation (Meralco), tollways (Metro Pacific Tollways with 436 kms; P56 billion for 58.9 kms of new tollways in 2024), health care (Metro Pacific Health; 23 hospitals and growing), private railway (LRT), natural resources (Philex) and water delivery (Maynilad). Food, renewables and health care are a strong future focus.

4. Lance Gokongwei, 57, president and CEO, JG Summit Holdings (Gokongwei Group), is bold and innovative. He is the best and brainiest (summa, finance and applied science, UPenn) and is better than most older CEOs. The Gokongwei Group is No. 1 in branded foods, airline (Cebu Pacific – 55 percent of air passengers and with the largest aircraft fleet and order, at $12 billion, in history), retailing (over 4,400 outlets) and petrochemicals; hugely competitive in real estate and hotels and has strengths and diversity in strategic investments like PLDT, Meralco, Ayala banking and power generation.

5. Sabin Aboitiz, 58, president-CEO, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, leads the transformation of the business to become the Philippines’ first techglomerate through innovation and digitalization, banking on its 200-year legacy of experienced management, strong financials, bold decision-making and sustainability focus. AEV is No. 1 in the south (No. 2 nationwide) in power generation, distribution and retail; No. 1 in airports management; No. 1 in renewables capacity, No. 1 in industrial estates and No. 1 in banking digital rollout (UnionBank).

6. Amando Tetangco, 71, chair, SM Investments Corp., brings to the powerful SM Group broad experience in finance, central banking, steadiness amid crises and corporate integrity and governance to help bring SMIC to new levels of growth, market reach, financial strength, governance and sustainability standards. Already, SMIC is the Philippines’ No. 1 in market cap, equity, profits and branch banking network and, yes, “SM has got it all for you.”

7. Felipe Gozon, 83, chair and CEO, GMA Network. For 20 consecutive years, this blue-chip lawyer made The Kapuso Network the best-managed broadcast network in Asia through consistent excellence and for being the largest, most trusted, most watched, most awarded, most innovative, most profitable, most diversified broadcasting network, with superior entertainment and timely, accurate and most comprehensive news – both delivered on a sprawling platform – TV, radio, online and on a wide array media-related ventures, anytime and anywhere in the world. Being synonymous with truth and integrity is GMA Network’s very definition and brand.

8. Edwin Bautista, 63, president-CEO, UnionBank, has made UB the pioneer and best in digital banking in a “digitize or perish” transformation that has made competitors eating dust and is powering UB’s rapid growth.

UB is the six-time Digital Bank of the Year. Its purchase of Citi Philippines’ consumer banking will make UB the largest and most profitable retail bank. He installed a bold, innovative and winning mindset to embrace the future, boost growth, improve profitability and make UB clients and shareholders awesomely happy.

9. Lorenzo Tan, 62, president-CEO, House of Investments, is the “Turnaround Artist” and “The Miracle Man” of banking.

He is consolidating the YGC businesses under a single holding company, HI, and grow them further in strength, profitability and market share in insurance, capital management, property, STEM education, airports (Sangley and one more), renewables, construction and, of course, banking.

10. Robina Gokongwei, president-CEO, Robinsons Retail Holdings. Often underrated, the eldest Gokongwei girl manages the Philippines’ largest retail network – 2,368 stores plus 2,080 TGP drug stores for a total of 4,448. Her range of specialty retail offerings is dizzying. In the first nine months of 2023, sales rose 8.7 percent to P138.2 billion, gross profit 9.4 percent to P32.9 billion and core net earnings jumped 4 percent to P3.8 billion. This 2023, up to 160 stores have been opened.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]