Board of Directors

The Company believes that adhering to good corporate governance principles begins with the Board of Directors. The Board conducts itself with utmost honesty and integrity in the discharge of its duties, functions, and responsibilities. The Board is vital in setting the ethical tone of the Company, not only by its own actions, but also in appointing and overseeing key executives and management.

 

The functions of the Board of Directors are laid down in the Manual of Corporate Governance and Board Charter.

 

Below are the Members of the Board  for 2024-2025:

 

Enrique M. Aboitiz

Chairman of the Board (Non-Executive)

Mikel A. Aboitiz

Vice-Chairman

Erramon I. Aboitiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Sabin M. Aboitiz

Director (Executive)

Cesar G. Romero

Lead Independent Director

Joanne de Asis

Independent Director

Peter D. Maquera

Independent Director

Board Committees

The Company has five board committees established to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight responsibility over the Aboitiz Group:

 

 

BOARD SUSTAINABILITY, GOVERNANCE, AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS COMMITTEE

 

On February 29, 2024, after evaluation and consultation with the management and independent directors, the Board of Directors approved the proposal to merge the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESCG) Committee and the Related Party Transactions (RPT) Committee into one committee, renamed into the Sustainability, Governance, and Related Party Transactions (SGRPT) Committee.

 

The expanded functions of the SGRPT Committee are laid out in the new SGRPT Committee Charter, available here. To ensure that all related party transactions are held on an arm’s length basis and within market rates, the SGRPT Committee Charter specifically requires that for matters involving the review, approval and monitoring of RPTs, only the attendance of the committee members who are Independent Directors shall be assessed for quorum, and only their votes shall be required and counted.

 

Below are the members of the Board Sustainability, Governance, and Related Party Transactions for 2024-2025:

 

Joanne de Asis

Chairman (Independent Director)

Cesar G. Romero

Independent Director

Enrique M. Aboitiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Sabin M. Aboitiz

Director (Executive)

Peter D. Maquera

Independent Director

Connie G. Chu

Ex-officio member

 

 

Board Audit Committee

 

The Company has a well-entrenched internal audit group, the Group Internal Audit, which is overseen by the Board through the Board Audit Committee. The Board Audit Committee represents the Board in its oversight responsibility over all audit-related matters of the Aboitiz Group. The Committee oversees the optimization of effective financial management, and compliance with regulatory reporting requirements for all business units.

 

The Audit Committee is composed of all three independent directors (including the Committee Chairman) and two non-executive directors. The Chief Financial Officer and Group Internal Audit Head, who performs the functions of a Chief Audit Executive, are regular attendees and resource persons at committee meetings.

 

The functions of the Board Audit Committee are laid down in the Board Audit Committee Charter. Please click here to view the Company’s Internal Audit Charter.

 

Below are the members of the Board Audit Committee for 2024-2025:

 

Cesar G. Romero

Chairman (Independent Director)

Joanne de Asis

Independent Director

Erramon I. Aboitiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Ana Maria Aboitiz – Delgado

Director (Non-Executive)

Peter D. Maquera

Independent Director

 

Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee

 

The primary purpose of the Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee is to assist the Board, and to some extent the Board Audit Committee, in fulfilling the corporate governance responsibilities relating to risk management and brand reputation. The Committee also assists in defining the Company’s risk appetite and oversees the risk profile and performance against the defined risk appetite. It is also responsible for overseeing the identification, measurement, monitoring and controlling of the Company’s principal business risks.

 

The functions of the Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee are laid down in the Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee Charter.

 

The Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee is composed of all the three Independent Directors, one Executive Director, and one Non-Executive Director who also acted as the Chairman of the Committee. The Chairman of the Risk and Reputation Management Committee of AEV is not the Chairman of the Board or any other Board Committees.

 

Below are the members of the Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee for 2024-2025:

 

Erramon I. Aboitiz

Director (Chairman)

Sabin M. Aboitiz

Director (Executive)

Joanne de Asis

Independent Director

Cesar G. Romero

Independent Director

Peter D. Maquera

Independent Director

Jose Emmanuel U. Hilado

Ex-officio Member

Samel A. Aboitiz

Ex-officio member

 

 

Board Cyber & Information Security Committee

 

The Board Cyber and Information Security Committee assists the Board in providing the strategic direction, ensure the establishment of the company’s system of governance (processes, policies, controls and management) on all matters relating to information security and cybersecurity. The Committee is composed of two Independent Directors and two Non-Executive Directors, including its Chairman.

 

 For a full discussion on the purpose, structure, and duties & responsibilities of the Committee, click here for a copy of the Board Cyber & Information Security Committee Charter.

 

Below are the members of the Board Cyber & Information Security Committee for 2024-2025:

 

JUSTO A. ORTIZ

Chairman (Non-Executive)

Joanne de Asis

Independent Director

Enrique M. Aboitiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Peter D. Maquera

Independent Director

Jose Emmanuel U. Hilado

Ex-Officio Member

Charmaine R.A. Valmonte

Ex-Officio Member

 

Executive Committee

 

The Executive Committee assists the Board in overseeing the Company’s day-to-day operations of the Company. The Committee ensures agility in the management of the Company and in strategic decision-making, and compliance with the Company’s governance policies, during the intervening period between Board meetings. Due to the monthly Board meetings in 2023, no Executive Committee meetings were held.

 

For a full discussion on the purpose, structure, and duties & responsibilities of the Committee, click here for a copy of the Executive Committee Charter.

 

Below are the members of the Executive Committee for 2024-2025:

 

Erramon I. Aboitiz

Member (Non-Executive)

Mikel A. Aboitiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Enrique M. Aboitiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Justo A. Ortiz

Director (Non-Executive)

Jose Emmanuel U. Hilado

Ex-Officio Member

Christopher P. Beshouri

Ex-Officio Member

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

Sabin M. Aboitiz (Executive Officer)
President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Age: 60
Citizenship: Filipino
Date of First Appointment: May 21, 2018
Tenure: 6 years

 

Committee Memberships

Mr. Aboitiz serves as Chairman of the Board Executive Committee and is a member of the Board Sustainability Governance and Related Party Transactions Committee and the Board Risk and Reputation Management Committee.

 

Present Positions

Currently, Mr. Aboitiz is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and Aboitiz & Company Inc. He is also the Chairman of the Board for Aboitiz Power Corporation, Aboitiz Foundation Inc., Aboitiz Land Inc., CRH Aboitiz Holdings Inc., Tenfold Ventures Corporation, Manila-Oslo Renewable Enterprise Inc., and SN Aboitiz Power – Benguet Inc. Furthermore, he is the Director/President of AEV CRH Holdings Inc. and holds directorships in numerous other companies, including Aboitiz Infracapital Inc., Aboitiz Construction International Inc., Aboitiz Construction Inc., AEV International Pte Ltd., Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation, Lima Land Inc., Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation, Pilmico Foods Corporation, Republic Cement & Building Materials Inc., Republic Cement Services Inc., Unity Digital Infrastructure Inc., Union Bank of the Philippines, UnionDigital Bank Inc., Aboitiz FeedAll Holdings Inc., Aboitiz Data Innovation Pte. Ltd., and CCEP Aboitiz Beverages Philippines Inc. In addition to his corporate roles, he is the Head of the Private Sector Advisory Council and a member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Philippines and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

 

Previous Positions

Mr. Aboitiz’s previous roles include serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President, and First Vice President at Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. between 2014 and 2019.

 

Educational and Professional Background

Mr. Aboitiz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Finance from Gonzaga University in Spokane, USA. He is not affiliated with any government agency or instrumentality.

BOD-550x550pxl-Sabin-M.-Aboitiz
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Jose Emmanuel U. Hilado is the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Information Officer effective January 1, 2023 replacing Mr. Manuel R. Lozano.

 

Mr. Hilado, Filipino, 58 years old, has more than 30 years of banking experience behind him and has held various positions in Treasury, Trading, Investments, Correspondent Banking, Bank Operations, Human Resources, and Purchasing. He was also a Director of the UnionBank’s subsidiaries – UBP Investments Corporation and First Union Plans, Inc.

 

Before joining UnionBank, he was the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of East West Bank Corporation, a publicly listed company. He was also the Treasurer of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation for 6 years and Chief Trader at Banco De Oro Unibank (“BDO”) for 4 years, both publicly listed companies. He also held positions in International Business Development of Far East Bank & Trust Company and in Treasury Trading of Equitable PCI Bank. While at BDO, he was also the Treasurer of BDO Private Bank for 3 years.

 

He is currently a member of various industry-related associations such as the Bankers Association of the Philippines’ Open Market Committee, Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), Money Market Association and ACI Philippines. He was a member of the Philippine Interpretations Committee (PIC) representing industry from 2014 to 2020. He was also President of ACI Philippines from 2002 to 2006 and was its Director in 2004. ACI Philippines is a business organization for financial market professionals involved in foreign exchange, fixed income, and derivatives markets.

 

He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics at the University of the Philippines, and his MBA degree at Kellogg-Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is also a Certified Treasury Professional at BAP-Ateneo Graduate School.

Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer

Ms. Connie G. Chu was appointed as the Company’s Senior Vice President – Chief Legal and Compliance Officer / Corporate Secretary effective July 15, 2023. She has more than 20 years of legal experience in the areas of regulatory compliance, corporate governance, capital markets, finance, and mergers and acquisitions in various industries in multiple jurisdictions in Asia and the US.

 

Prior to joining the Aboitiz Group, Ms. Chu provided legal advice, representation, and transactional assistance to governments, state-owned enterprises, and private and public companies. She was a registered foreign lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in New York then Hong Kong from 2008 to 2022 and an associate at Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & De Los Angeles from 2003 to 2007.

 

Ms. Chu obtained her Master in Corporate Laws degree with distinction from the New York University School of Law, U.S.A, and a juris doctor degree with high honors (Class Salutatorian) from the Ateneo de Manila University. She graduated magna cum laude with an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of San Carlos. She was a bar topnotcher, ranking 2nd in the 2002 Philippine Bar Exams.

 

Ms. Chu is a member in good standing of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the New York State Bar. She is not connected with any government agency or instrumentality. She is also not a director of any publicly listed company.

Business Unit Heads

Business Unit Heads for the year 2024 to 2025:

 

Board Secretariat
 The following are the present membership of the Board Secretariat Team:
CGC v2

CONNIE G. CHU

Senior Vice President – Chief Legal and Compliance Officer / Corporate Secretary
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MAILENE M. de la Torre

Vice President / Assistant Corporate Secretary
SAS v2

SAMMY DAVE A. SANTOS

Assistant Corporate Secretary
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KERTY ANNE FRANCINE A. YBAÑEZ

Associate - Paralegal