5 PH business leaders counted among Asia’s ‘most powerful’ women
Five women leaders in the Philippine corporate world landed on Fortune Magazine’s list of “100 Most Powerful Women Asia.”
They are recognized for being unfazed by global and regional volatility and instead leveraging these challenges to accelerate the growth of their businesses.
Mynt president and CEO, Martha Sazon, ranked highest among the women leaders at the 37th spot.
As chief of Mynt, Sazon oversees the operations of popular e-wallet platform GCash, which now has over 94 million Filipino users.
Last year, Japan’s MUFG Bank invested $393 million into GCash, raising the valuation of this fintech to $5 billion.
Now headed for its stock market debut, GCash is expected to raise as much as $1.5 billion from its initial public offering, making it the largest listing in the Philippines.
Sazon said her inclusion “reflects how GCash continues to make a difference in the lives of millions of Filipinos who count on our app every day.”
Property, banking leaders
Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) president and CEO Anna Ma. Margarita Bautista Dy ranked No. 69. The first woman to hold the top position at ALI, Dy heads the real estate giant’s pursuit of a massive P13-billion mall redevelopment project and portfolio expansion across the company’s business units.
Under Dy’s leadership, ALI also took over New World Hotel Makati as part of its $500-million plan to double its hotel room capacity to 8,000 by the end of the decade.
Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Lynette Ortiz is at 72nd place, recognized for leading the country’s largest government financial institution.
The seasoned banker has built a strong, three-decade career in the sector. Landbank, which has at least P3.44 trillion in assets and the country’s second-largest bank, is seen to offer competitive product offerings and stand “shoulder to shoulder with private banks” with Ortiz at the helm.
At No. 92 on Fortune’s list is Megaworld Corp. president Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, now leading the company’s plan to expand its township and office empire.
Despite a challenging environment for the real estate sector, Megaworld leveraged the strength of its townships, which have led to record-high profits for the developer.
Alfonso is now focusing on taking charge of Megaworld’s $6.1-billion expansion plan over the next five years.
Next-gen banker
Union Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Ana Maria Aboitiz Delgado is 94th.
Delgado, a fifth-generation member of the Aboitiz family, is currently driving the bank’s digital innovation and customer-centric growth.
“This recognition reflects her visionary leadership, commitment to innovation and dedication to client-centric service—hallmarks of UnionBank’s aspiration to be the Philippines’ leading Next-Gen Bank,” UnionBank said in a statement sent to the Inquirer.
“Ana’s presence on this global list affirms her role in shaping the future of banking not only in the Philippines, but across the region for generations to come,” it added.
According to Fortune, all the leaders on its list were scored based on the scale and performance of their business, innovation, influence, trajectory and impact.
DBS Group CEO Tan Su Shan topped the list, the first woman to lead the Singapore-based banking giant.
