Augusto D. Bengzon l 31 July 2024 via online
To our guest speaker, friends from media, guests, my fellow directors and officers of FINEX, our beloved members, good afternoon.
I would like to thank everyone for joining us today. I’m delighted that we’ve had good attendance at each GMM since the beginning of the year.
I heard that discussion about the West Philippine Sea dispute with retired Justice Antonio Carpio was extremely engaging at our most recent GMM on June 24. It was unfortunate that I was unable to be present. Thank you to our very able EVP, Mr. Joey Gomez, for leading the meeting.
For today’s GMM, I would like to thank our speaker, Dr. David Hardoon, CEO of Aboitiz Data Innovation, who will be properly introduced later. David is spearheading the Aboitiz Group’s transformation into country’s first techglomerate. As a leader in leveraging data and AI, Mr. Hardoon will delve into the innovative strategies that are driving the group’s business transformation. Discover how data analytics and artificial intelligence are being harnessed to fuel growth, enhance decision-making, and create value across the organization.
Before we move to David’s presentation, here are few updates for everyone:
I would like to congratulate and thank our committees for their recent activities and programs.
- Our International Relations Committee, under the direction of Chair Regina Saga and Liaison Director Benny Soliven, visited Taiwan from May 30 to June 2 and met with our colleagues at FEI Chinese Taiwan.
- Our Arts and Culture Committee, under the leadership of Co-Chairs Domeng Go and Atty. Lia San Juan and Liaison Director Paul San Pedro, hosted its second event of the year, “Privilege & Passion: The Finer Pursuits of Fernando Zobel, Lee Aguinaldo, and Alfonso Ossorio,” on June 11. The event featured a guided tour and a talk by Richie Lerma, Salcedo Auction Chairman and Chief Specialist, at the NEX Tower.
- On June 26, our Professional Development Committee hosted a seminar entitled “The Golden Years: Expert Insights on Wealth and Asset Management, Tax Strategies, and Preparing for Major Life Changes” with speakers, namely, Anton Engwa of Henley & Partners, Irene Ang of BPI Wealth, Atty. Lea Roque of P&A Grant Thornton, and Past Presidents George Chua, Jeng Pascual, and Cora dela Paz Bernardo. Thank you to Committee Co-Chairs Paulo Azurin and Mai Bisnar, as well as Liaison Director Gema Cheng, for bringing this event together. We extend our special gratitude to DES Financing for their generous sponsorship.
- Our Sports and Wellness Committee, led by Chair Arthur Chung and Liaison Director EJ Qua Hiansen, sponsored the first golf fellowship on June 28. Let us look forward to more golf events this year.
- We also co-signed relevant statements and letters:
- FINEX joined other business groups in a statement supporting the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard amidst for safeguarding our sovereignty and defending the integrity of our national territory.
- FINEX also joined several business and professional organizations in a statement supporting the DOF and the NEDA’s total ban on POGOs. We are very glad that President Marcos, in his SONA, heeded our call.
- Lastly, we also co-signed a letter with the foreign chambers and business groups to President Marcos and Senate President Escudero citing our call for the immediate passage of 21 measures to achieve reforms that will generate substantial impact in achieving our shared vision of inclusive growth.
Please look forward to the following programs –
- On July 30, our Young Finance Officers Committee will host a mentoring session and fireside chat with an industry captain, Mr. Eugene Acevedo, RCBC CEO and a fellow FINEX member. Thanks to Committee Co-Chairs Jing Arellano and Janis Maghinay and Liaison Director Carlo Lazatin for this session.
- On August 6, the Financial Inclusion Committee, chaired by Gay Santos with liaison director EJ Qua Hiansen, will hold a SME Forum at the Fairmont Makati in collaboration with Water.org. We expect speakers and participants from Cambodia and Indonesia to attend the event.
- Also on August 6, the Ethics Committee, led by Chair Wilma Miranda and Liaison Director Flor Tarriela, will host its first webinar this year entitled, “Ethics Chasing Technology,” with Atty. Edsel Tupaz, Senior Partner of Gorriceta Law, as speaker.
- The next GMM will be on August 19 at Fairmont Makati with Mr. Francis Giles Puno, President & COO of First Philippine Holdings Corp., as our keynote speaker.
- This year’s Ayala-FINEX Finance Summit, with the theme, “The Role of AI in Finance and Sustainable Growth,” will be on September 18, 2024, at Fairmont Makati. This annual conference is sponsored by Ayala Corporation, supported by P&A Grant Thornton, and spearheaded by our Professional Development Committee.
- On June 24, we launched the 18th ING FINEX CFO of the Year. The deadline for nominations is August 31. I invite everyone to nominate their CFO and vie for this much-coveted award, the first and only award for CFOs in the country given by their peers. The award ceremony will be held on November 15, 6:00 PM, at Shangri-la at the Fort. My gratitude to ING for the continued partnership and to our CFO of the Year Award Committee led by Chair Brian Trias, Vice Chair Atty. Ever Lee, and Liaison Director Flor Tarriela.
- The annual FINEX Week will run from September 30 to October 4. Our FINEX Week Committee, led by Co-Chairs Cai Reyes and Rizza Latorre, and Liaison Director Mignon Ramos, is putting together a world-class week-long conference with relevant topics and high-caliber speakers. The opening day on September 30 will be held at Fairmont Makati while the culmination on October 4 will be at Shangri-la at the Fort. More details about the FINEX Week will be announced soon. I’d like to thank the sponsors who have already pledged their support. I encourage everyone to attend this annual event and help us through sponsorship.
I also encourage everyone to support the initiatives of the FINEX Research and Development Foundation and the FINEX Academy.
The FINEX Academy regularly offers the Capital Markets & Fixed Income Course and the Finance Leadership Programs. The first offering of the Digital Transformation Program for business and finance professionals will be ready within the year.
The FINEX Foundation’s Social Involvement Committee continues to provide free financial literacy sessions to all our stakeholders, especially the underprivileged members of our society. We hope everyone can join this advocacy by being one of our lecturers or partners.
Other programs of the Foundation this year include the Finance Educators’ Training Program in partnership with the Capital Market Development Foundation, Inc., the Outstanding Finance Educators Awards with Deloitte Philippines, the Inter-Collegiate Finance Competition with JP Morgan Chase, the publication of the 5th edition of the FINEX Journal, other programs that will support environmental awareness.
We are still campaigning for this year’s year-round sponsorship. We hope that you and your companies will be one of them.
At this point, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the following organizations for confirming their support this year, namely:
Platinum: Forecasting and Planning Technologies, Inc. and Ayala Land, Inc.
Diamond: Stronghold Insurance Company, Inc.
Gold: BDO Unibank, Bank of the Philippine Islands, KPMG R.G. Manabat & Co., Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company, PwC Isla Lipana & Co., Romulo Law, and SGV & Co.
Patron: BPI MS Insurance, East West Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, Liberty Insurance, Malayan Insurance, Philippine Equity Partners, P&A Grant Thornton, Regis Partners, and San Miguel Corp.
Minor: Jollibee Foods Corporation and Sta. Lucia Land
We hope that this campaign will allow us carry out our numerous programs and advocacies for the year and in the future.
Apart from this, we also enjoin everyone in recruiting new members, especially from the publicly listed companies and top 1,000 corporations. I encourage you all to invite your friends and colleagues to join FINEX this year.
We will continue to keep you informed of our planned initiatives, particularly as we progress on our major thrusts for this year. We look forward to your continuing support and engagement.
Thank you.
(File photo)