IN celebration of the Philippines as a global economic powerhouse, outstanding individuals, business leaders and institutions operating locally and throughout the region were recognized on Wednesday during the gala night of the Asia CEO Awards 2014, held at the Solaire Resort & Casino in Entertainment City, Parañaque.
Impressed by the sterling credentials of this year’s winners, who have contributed significantly to the country’s continued progress, Asia CEO Awards Chairman Richard Mills told the BusinessMirror they plan to expand the annual recognition to enterprise and team leaders in Southeast Asia, in time for the upcoming regional economic integration by next year.
“The quality and diversity of companies that [made it to this year’s edition] are encouraging [us] to display them to the world,” he said. “We want people in the region to start thinking of the Philippines as a premier business destination for the entire region. So we plan to have a regional award that will promote that objective in peoples’ minds.”
While he conceded that such remains in the drawing board, he noted that next year’s awarding ceremonies “will probably include Regional Company of the Year and Regional Chief Executive Officer of the Year awards.”
The theme of this year’s Asia CEO Awards, “Emerging Asia,” he said, is a testament that the Philippines is “determined to play a big role in the global and regional economy,” especially at a time when the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will converge as a single economic community by 2015.
“It’s definitely a very exciting time for the Philippines,” Mills said. “You have very strong Filipino companies and international companies run by Filipinos doing great jobs here.”
Now on its fifth year, the Asia CEO Awards promotes leadership excellence and team-building within organizations, and displays Filipino business accomplishment to the world’s business leaders.
Among the 12 award categories given this year, SM Prime Holdings Inc. won the top most accolade of Executive Leadership Team of the Year.
The SM Group founder and Forbes’s richest Filipino, Henry Sy Sr., was feted with special citation “Lifetime Contributor of the Year” for the private sector alongside Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. for the public sector.
Other category winners included El Nido Resorts as Hospitality Destination of the Year; Envirosite Corp. as Technology Company of the Year; and Philex Mining Corp. as Corporate Governance Company of the Year.
P.J. Lhuillier Inc. was awarded CSR Company of the Year, while San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. was named Green Company of the Year.
The Young Leader of the Year was awarded to KMC MAG Group Managing Director Michael McCullough. Lars Wittig, country manager of Regus Philippines, was honored as Expatriate Executive of the Year; and Roberto Juanchito Bispo, president of First Metro Investment Corp., was named as Global Filipino Executive of the Year.
Generika Drugstore was named Most Innovative Company of the Year; Fluor Daniel Inc.-Philippines the Quality Company of the Year; and Smart Communications Inc., Top Employer of the Year.
The awards were presented by SPi Global, Smart Communications, SHORE Solutions, Security Bank, PLDT Alpha Enterprise, Philippine Airlines, Oracle, NEC, Meralco, KPMG, Jones Lang LaSalle, FirstCarbon Solutions and Capital One.
Roderick L. Abad
Image credits: Alysa Salen