Lance Gokongwei elected PhilWeb chair
Tycoon Lance Gokongwei has taken the helm of PhilWeb Corp. after investing P2.02 billion in the the listed gaming technology firm, which is ramping up its artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure for the regulated digital gaming sector.
In a disclosure on Friday, PhilWeb said Gokongwei had acquired 159.53 million common shares at P8 each on Aug. 27 under a previously executed share purchase agreement.
The transaction was worth about P1.28 billion and brought Gokongwei’s direct holdings to 159.53 million shares. Including preferred shares, the tycoon’s stake in PhilWeb stood at 15 percent.
PhilWeb said Gokongwei’s recent strategic equity investment totaled P2.02 billion.
The purchase comes as Gokongwei assumes the chairmanship of PhilWeb, completing a governance restructuring that followed his appointment to the board in July.
His entry also comes as PhilWeb accelerates the rollout of its enterprise AI layer, part of its push to become an institutional-grade digital gaming solutions provider.
The company said its immediate priorities include real-time operational monitoring, algorithmic risk management, regulatory compliance automation, anti-fraud detection and data-driven customer lifecycle optimization.
“This transition marks a critical inflection point for our capitalization and operational scale,” Gokongwei said.
He added that PhilWeb aims to deploy institutional-grade, AI-powered infrastructure to set a new operational standard for security and compliance across the regulated digital ecosystem.
PhilWeb president Brian Ng said Gokongwei’s leadership would provide the governance needed for the company’s next phase of expansion, particularly as it develops infrastructure for integrated casino resorts and global platform providers.
PhilWeb said its AI-driven technology currently supports an ecosystem that includes Okada Manila, Hann Casino, Newport World Resorts, Nustar Resort and Casino, FBM Philippines and PT Gaming.
