Gutierrez-Alfonso upholds meritocracy at Megaworld
In one’s pursuit of a successful career, nothing beats skill, talent and hard work–and a work environment that, of course, highly values meritocracy. It’s a belief held strongly by the leader of one of the Philippines’ largest real estate corporations: Megaworld president Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, whose leadership philosophy has recently earned her a spot on the prestigious Fortune 100 Most Powerful Women (MPW) Asia list for 2024.
Ranking 85th, Alfonso joins an impressive roster of Filipino women executives reshaping the country’s business landscape, including GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon (38th), Robinsons Retail Holdings president and CEO Robina Gokongwei-Pe (48th), Ayala Land CEO and president Anna Ma. Margarita Bautista Dy (73rd), Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Lynette Ortiz (82nd), Megaworld president Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso (85th) and Filinvest Development president and CEO Rhoda Huang (98th).
The recognition comes less than a year after Alfonso assumed Megaworld’s presidency in June 2023, taking over from billionaire Andrew Tan. Her journey with the property developer spans over three decades, having joined the company just six months after its founding in 1990.
“I’ve been part of Megaworld for over three decades, and throughout its history, the company culture has been anchored on a system of meritocracy,” says Alfonso, expressing her gratitude for the environment that nurtured her growth. “Everyone in the company had access to equal opportunities. Gender, age and even tenure didn’t determine how someone rose through the ranks at Megaworld.”
This commitment to equal opportunity has yielded remarkable results under her watch: Women now make up 60 percent of Megaworld’s workforce and hold 50 percent of its leadership positions. It’s a testament to what Alfonso describes as a culture that “invites and empowers everyone to do their best and shine in areas that give their lives purpose and meaning.”
Leadership style
As a leader, Alfonso describes herself as a “planner.”
“My instinct is to organize my thoughts, structure different ways of working and develop strategies where they are needed. I think most women, constantly juggling their responsibilities at work and at home, have a lot of practice in being efficient and productive,” she says.
Women’ nurturing qualities, Alfonso adds, are also assets when it comes to being a leader in an organization, since “the very essence of nurturing is caring for the growth and development of someone or something.” Still, she believes it is also important to celebrate differences in leadership styles, especially between men and women–and see how these can complement each other.
“We all have our strengths and areas for improvement. Our unique characteristics impact our leadership styles,” she explains.
She also acknowledges that for now, the reality is that much more is still demanded of women–that they still have to show that they have more courage, tenacity, fortitude, resilience, determination and persistence. However, Alfonso emphasizes that the journey to the top isn’t about proving superiority.
“Mindset is important as well. Climbing the ladder to the very top is not an undertaking to prove ourselves superior compared to other men or women. The work we do is to honor God and use our God-given talents,” Alfonso says.
She looks forward to more Philippine companies embracing meritocracy, as she sees a bright future for women in leadership. “When a company champions fairness and incentivizes excellence, everyone has an opportunity to succeed based on what they can do.”
