Q1: Congratulations! You are one of the few Filipinos who have reached a regional president position in a major multinational company. Can you share with us the strengths of Filipinos as marketers? Creativity and the willingness to depart from the conventional way of doing things. I think this comes from a wellspring of making do with what is available. I […]
Q1: Can you share with us the brand DNA of Belle de Jour (BDJ) Power Planner? How does it differ from your Navi Planner? The target market of Belle de Jour Power Planner is the 20-35 year old female working professional. She balances multiple roles in her life. She has a strong desire to achieve and do things in style. […]
Q1: You have expanded from a shirt brand to a tourism brand. Please tell us what was the insight that led to this transformation? I first got the idea to go into the business of selling souvenir shirts from my travels – shirts were and continue to be the preferred souvenir as they’re light and practical. But many of the […]
Q1: Not many people know your history, but you actually took over FERN Inc. as a turnaround operation. Please tell us about your early days. We Bring Prosperity to Every Home by Tapping the Entrepreneur in Every Filipino. This is the vision, which the pioneers of FERN Inc. had when they first started in 2003. We envisioned uplifting the lives […]
Q1: Acer is among the top 5 PC brands internationally. What made you the leading brand in the PC market in the Philippines? Acer Philippines thanks its business and industry partners for all the support in making the brand number one in the country today (based on IDC reports). Other success factors include: a strong dedicated team, good products at […]
Q1: What made you decide to open a wholesale operation in Zamboanga? We felt there was an untapped potential and there was a big opportunity for the BIG BOX model in Zamboanga. Our primary target market were the sari-sari store owners wherein we feel they can be better served than simply offering them credit terms and low prices. We moved […]
Q1: You are well admired as the owner / part-owner of many successful local-concept restaurants like Red Crab, Sumo Sam, Claw Daddy – all known for their excellent food and good customer service. You also ventured into fitness centers with FTX in October 2011. What’s your thinking process in coming up with new ideas? I have been a full time restaurateur […]
Q1: Wrangler is among the top 3 to 5 brands in a crowded marketplace of over 20 brands in every department store. What did you have to do to earn that? Magnificent Jeans, Inc. took over the helm of Wrangler in the Philippines in May 2009. The takeover was abrupt and we did not have the benefit of having a […]
Q1: Bizu is a premium brand of cakes and restaurants. How did you decide that this is the way to go? The first thing that I did when I set out to create Bizu was to search my soul. I have always dreamt of running a patisserie similar to the ones found in France and wondered why we didn’t have […]
I thank the Association of Young Filipino-Chinese Entrepreneurs (formerly Anvil Club) as well as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce for inviting me to give a talk about “Defending Your Turf” recently. The topic on defensive marketing has attracted a bit of attention as of late, especially among those with successful businesses. This type of marketing is different from […]