Synergy at work
Synergy is far more powerful than it seems.
While often used to mean collaboration, partnership, or shared efforts, synergy carries a much deeper significance. Rooted in mutual trust and respect, synergy, according to management gurus, transforms individual capabilities into a collective powerhouse, amplifying expertise to create breakthroughs and groundbreaking innovations that would otherwise be impossible.
In a fiercely competitive and highly dynamic industry like real estate, where market conditions and client expectations are in constant flux, the importance of synergy—especially among top executives—becomes even more pronounced. It helps ensure that strategic decisions are well-rounded, effective, cost-efficient, and forward-thinking.
This is apparent in some of the country’s most successful property developers, whose top leaders work in concert not only to maintain a competitive edge and position their companies for sustained growth, but also to create modern, thriving and resilient developments that meet current demands and anticipate future needs. Here are a few examples.
‘Roaring and soaring’ with the best
Theirs is a remarkable synergy based on mutual trust, respect, and clear communication.
And it’s precisely because of these qualities that Wolfgang Krueger, executive director of Shang Properties Inc., and Maria Rochelle “Che” S. Diaz, the company’s executive vice president for Commercial, are successfully driving the company’s expansion this year. Their exceptional synergy enables them to navigate complex challenges, align on strategic objectives, and execute plans with precision.
Krueger even expressed admiration for the energy and focus that Che has brought to this role.
“Che is an absolute bundle of energy and very tenacious when it comes to working through roadblocks and challenges. She also has the ability to bring others along with her through her knowledge, focus and creative energy. You always need to work with the best people in order to bring out the best in yourself and everyone else, and I feel that’s what we have at Shang Properties right now,” Krueger explained.
Diaz shared this sentiment but emphasized that the effectiveness of their synergy was because Krueger empowers the team to excel in their roles.
“It is a partnership that leads teams together, empowering our people to do their best,” she said.
According to Diaz, Krueger is a great and natural leader, with a healthy balance of IQ and EQ. Despite the stress, pressure and demands of the job, Krueger is proving to be an expert, “making sure that all engines are running in the organization and bringing everyone to the same page.”
“This type of leadership makes you look forward to work everyday. It’s nice to see that everyone is fired up, roaring and soaring as he also knows how to bring out the best in his people. You have to have a good set of people with strong leadership and business skills, an organization that allows people to grow with it. That’s what Wolfgang provides to SPI. It is a strong fundamental that steers the organization to a brighter future,” Diaz added.
Strong, seamless and intuitive synergy
It may be the fact that they’ve been working together, on and off for the last two decades, that has allowed them to build such a strong, seamless, and intuitive partnership.
Thomas F. Mirasol, president and COO of Federal Land Inc., shared that he and Guita Saenz-Resurreccion, the company’s head of Sales Group, have known each other long enough that they can be “very, very frank”. They do not only anticipate each other’s concerns and views, but they can also back each other up when a problem needs extra attention.
“We balance out each other’s strengths and weaknesses. She has a talent for working with people at a personal level. My tendency leans towards being more methodical. Second, I trust her judgement. She has an exceptional grasp of the market and I rely heavily on her opinions. While we don’t always agree with each other on all matters, we can argue intensely with each other and recognize when the other person has a better grasp of the situation,” Mirasol explained.
“We support each other fully. She is smart, outspoken and opinionated—sometimes to the point of being defiant. This works for our culture because I’ve always supported collaborative disagreements. It’s the best way I’ve seen to arrive at good decisions,” he added.
It’s no wonder that Saenz-Resurreccion described their synergy as “seamless”.
“We know each other so well that we communicate almost in shorthand. He lets me know what our goals are, then, after approving my plans, he lets me be, allowing me and my team to execute our strategies without him constantly looking over our shoulders. His trust and confidence in me push me to excel. At FNG, synergy is a key buzzword, and his open-minded approach to collaborating with our Japanese partners enhances our teamwork, blending local insights and expertise with international best practices,” she said.
According to Saenz-Resurreccion, Mirasol constantly pushes them to do better, to achieve higher growth, and go beyond their limits to deliver exceptional results. While he challenges them with his high expectations, working with Mirasol can also be fun.
She shared that he would sometimes crack jokes in the middle of a serious board meeting to break the tedium, or he’d show up to a teambuilding event with bottles of top-shelf liquor to enjoy after dinner.
“He is my friend as much as he is my boss. I get to be myself with him, and will not hesitate to voice my opinion when I disagree with him. Sometimes he gets visibly annoyed when I do, but I think secretly he does appreciate that there are people in his inner circle who will dare to contradict him. After all, true synergy is not about telling the boss what he wants to hear. It’s about coming together in a safe and open environment to achieve a shared goal,” Saenz-Resurreccion said.
A power couple’s journey in synergy
It’s a powerful husband-and-wife tandem that works: one shapes the vision and carves out the path, while the other ensures numbers are sound and projects are feasible.
Ovialand Inc. CEO Pammy Olivares-Vital and Ovialand CFO Bryan Vital have been working for more than a decade—both go-getters, driven by the same goals and bound by the same values. Their synergy is no doubt strong, made even more formidable by the fact that they’re married.
“What makes our partnership work is that we both know that we are after the same goal and more importantly, we hold the same values. And because of that, we know we can always trust and rely on each other. I would describe our synergy and bond as very very strong, formidable, and of course being married to each other, it gives even more meaning to our partnership as it gives us purpose beyond ourselves,” Bryan explained.
“(We have) trust and respect for one another and our roles. Egos must be set aside at all times. My role as CEO and his role as CFO are very much defined. We work in synergy but we have different roles and responsibilities. Constant communication is also definitely a must, because so many things are happening day in and day out,” added Pammy.
Admittedly, the lines and titles can blur when demands become overwhelming. As go-getters, both Pammy and Bryan invest wholeheartedly in their goals. Yet, their dynamic synergy often delivers rewards beyond achieving goals, enriching their collaboration in unexpected ways.
“For me the most rewarding part is how we are there for one another during the challenging times. There are definitely periods when one area of work needs more attention than the other, and roles and titles don’t matter but we all push together towards the direction that is best for the company,” Pammy shared.
“The most rewarding part of working together as husband and wife is that we always get to be together and we get to share a whole trove of experiences with each other in business and life, in general, 24/7. Working together makes our bond stronger, and that is one of my most cherished aspects as partners—sharing both successes and failings, allowing us to grow together both in our relationship and in business,” Bryan added.
Sharing a vision, leading hands on
Their shared vision, complementary skills, and hands-on leadership style created a powerful synergy that has allowed the company to remain in a league of its own.
Tomas P. Lorenzo and Cathy Casares-Ko are at the helm of Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), serving as the president and CEO, and COO, respectively. Their partnership is grounded on a common goal to redefine the real estate landscape through innovative design, exceptional workmanship, and personalized service.
Lorenzo, with his focus on strategy, innovation, and relationship building, dreams big for TLDC. His visionary approach lays the foundation for the company’s ambitious projects. Ko meanwhile ensures that these dreams are operationally viable, balancing the visionary ideas with practical implementation. Her role involves refining and tempering grand visions to align with operational capabilities, ensuring that the company’s strategies are executed efficiently and effectively.
“Tomas Lorenzo and I are effective collaborators because we share the same vision for the company. Our skillsets are complimentary and we both believe in being present. We visit our project sites regularly to identify areas that could be improved. We cannot run the company effectively if we do not go to the site, observing how things are done, understanding the challenges, and gathering information and insights directly from the frontliners,” she said.
“Our decision making process is also collaborative. We build consensus with the rest of the management team, and try to incorporate diverse perspectives to attain buy-in. Also, we believe in continuous improvement, constantly seeking ways to ensure that our business continues to be relevant to our identified markets; and that the way we design for tomorrow, constantly evolves and improves,” Casares-Ko added.
Bringing ambitious projects to life
Even the most ambitious goals will seem less daunting when you have reliable, trustworthy partners by your side.
This is the sentiment of Ricardo F. Lagdameo, president Damosa Land Inc., as he shared how Macy Bibat, the company’s AVP for Township and Tourism, had been instrumental in one of their most challenging projects to date.
“I’ve known her for quite a long time now as she used to work with my wife’s family so I knew how hard working, dedicated, and creative she is. At Damosa Land, I’ve been working with her for eight years and she has been leading what is probably one of our most challenging projects to date. She’s been able to pull off the huge task of bringing Agriya to life,” Lagdameo said.
“It’s quite easy working with her as she seems to know what I’m thinking all the time! Her team loves her and respects her as well so the work environment at Agriya is very positive. Macy possesses many positive traits but one that really stands out is her problem solving skills and her creativity. At the end of the day, Agriya and our other projects would not be where they are today if it wasn’t for Macy,” he added.
Bibat, for her part, highlighted the mutual respect that defines their synergy.
“I would like to think that the partnership with RFL is really based on respect. That respect makes both of us productive in order for him to drive the company and for me to deliver. He respects my opinions and on-site decisions. My respect for him as a visionary will make sure that the direction is executed and delivered beyond his expectation,” Bibat shared.
She also appreciates Lagdameo’s approach to leadership.
“RFL does not train. He molds. He does not need to train someone in a particular skill or behavior. The fact that he hired you already means you know how to do your job. It’s now a matter of how effective and efficient you are at doing your job. He molds, he develops, he empowers us—(with this), I am more conscious of my targets and deliverables. And with every thing, he always reminds us to deliver excellence,” Bibat added.
