'Relevant Leadership for a Progressive Future'

(Left) Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala shares his thoughts on relevant leadership and how Ayala aligns its business strategy to opportunities to address society’s pain points and aspirations; (right) AC Logistics President and CEO and Ayala Public Affairs Group Head Rene Almendras gives his inaugural address as 76th president of the Management Association of the Philippines

“We have rediscovered that our purpose at Ayala Corporation is to build businesses that enable people to thrive—a purpose that is quite aligned to relevant leadership. This is the common thread that ties together our heritage, all our subsidiaries, and our employees over many years. Most significantly, this will be the anchor from which our future initiatives will be founded on.”

JAIME AUGUSTO ZOBEL DE AYALA
AC Chairman

That “business can be a platform for good” is a guiding philosophy that Ayala Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and his brother Fernando have long held since taking over the reins of the conglomerate in the mid-1990s. And it remains true, as Ayala continues to address social and sustainability issues through its investments and support the country's growth and competitiveness.

“I believe that this is at the heart of relevant leadership: to help alleviate pains and enable aspirations to be achieved,” said JAZA at the inaugural meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on January 18. “In fact, we believe that there are significant business opportunities and operational efficiencies to be unlocked when an organization aligns itself to relevant leadership.”

JAZA cited healthcare, infrastructure, education, and agriculture as areas where value can be created while closing gaps. He emphasized the need for collaboration, with alliances such as the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Covenant for Shared Prosperity spearheaded by MAP, and Task Force T3 and Project Ugnayan as examples of relevant leadership grounded on cooperation. Finally, he shared Ayala's investments in healthcare and electric mobility as well as ESG actions that are creating sustainable value for all.

JAZA also led the induction of MAP’s Board of Governors for 2024, with AC Logistics President and CEO Rene Almendras as president and GCash/Mynt President and CEO Martha Sazon as assistant treasurer.