Q1: La Frutera developed the first large-scale banana plantation in the ARMM region, and hired rebel returnees. It is now the fourth largest regional producer of cavendish banana. What was on your mind when you decided to invest in a war-torn province instead of a safer region? A: I am just one of the co-founders of La Frutera which is now a 1300-hectare banana plantation. […]
As we celebrate Women’s month this March, I like to share two interesting innovation stories which benefited women. 1. Finding baby sitters and caregivers online Genevieve Thiers, then a college student at Boston had a eureka moment while helping a pregnant mom post a babysitter help notice in various bulletin boards of the hilly campus. While she didn’t invent babysitting […]
I wrote about the phenomenal come-from-behind win of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay as Vice President of the Philippines in my book “Fundamentals of Marketing in the Philippine Setting (2nd Edition, with Chiqui Escareal-Go, 2012). His message that he will do to the Philippines what he did in Makati resonated to the public as it positioned him as a public servant with solid track record […]
Q1: In your marketing career, what are some of the most memorable marketing campaigns that you initiated? Can you elaborate? A: The Hate Late Campaign of Pizza Hut Delivery is for me the most memorable because we started using social media and the internet to communicate that Pizza Hut Delivery will be delivered to you in 30 minutes or your […]
Q1: What is one word you want your cakes to be known for and why? A: Bespoke…because it’s customized and personalized. Q2: You have been successful in the super premium cakes category. What have you been doing right all these years to create a niche leadership in the cake industry? A: Wow! Doing it right? It’s the first time I […]
Q1: Prior to your promotion as the Asia Pacific President of Nu Skin, you were their regional marketing director for Southeast Asia, general manager for Thailand and Malaysia, and vice president for global market services based in Nu Skin’s headquarters in Utah, USA. What achievements are you most proud of? A: Over the course of the 18 years I have […]
I saw the video of Ariel India’s ‘Share The Load’ campaign when Inquirer’s business editor Raul Marcelo shared this in his Facebook page. It features a father apologizing to his daughter on unequal gender role where men take less responsibility at home even if both husband and wife are now working and tired when they get home. The father-and-daughter role […]
Q1: What is it like working in the PR company started by your mother? What is the succession planning like in your company? A: It’s been great to finally watch my mother in action! She was one of the pioneers of public relations in the country, and it’s amazing to see her sharp intuition, incredible vision, and fortitude come to […]
Q1: You and your husband inherited six Hortaleza Vaciador stores from your in-laws and renamed it HBC. It now has over 200 retail stores. What was the trigger that made you change the company name? A: Since we inherited the stores and my husband’s other siblings also got their own numbers, there is a need to differentiate it in two […]
Q1: How did you get into the hair extensions business? A: It all started when I was granted a fashion design scholarship by the Japanese government in 2009 and I studied in Tokyo for 3 years. It is there where I got immersed into a culture wherein fashion is literally a head to toe expression. I saw how for Japanese […]