This article was originally published in the Brand Finance Philippines 50 Report 2026.
With UnionBank and AboitizPower recognised in the Brand Finance Philippines 50 ranking, the Aboitiz Group continues to demonstrate the power of strong brands in driving business growth and long-term value. In a recent interview with Brand Finance, Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, Chief Reputation & Sustainability Officer, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc, highlights how brand and reputation underpin the group's transformation into a technology-driven "techglomerate", why trust has become a defining competitive advantage, and the lessons it has learned about building resilience and relevance across generations.
Interview with Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar
The Aboitiz Group continues to strengthen its presence across key sectors, with UnionBank and AboitizPower recognised in this year’s Brand Finance Philippines 50 ranking. What roles do these brands play in the Group, and how do brand and reputation help drive Aboitiz’s growth?
Hontiveros-Malvar
Chief Reputation &
Sustainability Officer,
Aboitiz Equity
Ventures, Inc.
UnionBank and AboitizPower are among the Group’s most visible brands and play important roles in helping drive our growth and transformation. UnionBank has built a strong reputation for digital innovation and customer experience, while AboitizPower continues to play a vital role in energy security and the country’s transition to more sustainable energy sources.
For Aboitiz, strong brands and a trusted reputation are strategic assets that help create confidence among customers, investors, partners, team members, and communities. Trust enables us to strengthen partnerships, attract talent, build investor confidence, and deepen relationships with stakeholders.
As the Group continues to grow across industries, maintaining a strong reputation helps ensure that our businesses remain relevant, resilient, and aligned with the needs of a rapidly changing world.
Reputation today is shaped not only by business performance, but also by trust and long-term impact. How is the Group evolving its approach to reputation management amid rising stakeholder expectations?
Reputation goes far beyond business performance. Stakeholders expect companies to be transparent, responsible, and consistent in how they operate and communicate. At Aboitiz, we recognise that trust is built over time but can be tested very quickly, especially in a fast-moving digital environment.
That’s why we are evolving our approach by listening more actively to stakeholders, strengthening sustainability and governance efforts, using tech and AI to make better-informed decisions, and making sure our actions align with our values and commitments.
More than managing perception, it’s really about building credibility through consistent action and meaningful impact.
What does evolving into a “techglomerate” mean for the Aboitiz Group, and how is it reshaping the way the Group builds relationships with employees, customers, communities and other stakeholders?
Becoming a techglomerate means using technology, data, and innovation to strengthen how we operate and create value across the Group’s businesses. And beyond digital transformation, it is fundamentally a people-first transformation – democratising AI capabilities across the workforce, investing heavily in upskilling and capability-building, and reshaping leadership mindsets while preserving trust, culture, and long-term thinking.
Technology is helping us become more agile, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of our team members, customers, communities, and partners. At the same time, it also reminds us that relationships and trust still matter most. As expectations continue to evolve, our focus is to combine technology with purpose and responsible leadership to create long-term value for all our stakeholders.
As one of the country’s most established business groups, what lessons has the Aboitiz Group learned about building trust, resilience, and long-term relevance across generations?
Over the years, the Aboitiz Group has learned three important lessons about building trust and long-term relevance. First, trust is earned through consistency – people remember not only what you say, but how you show up and act over time. Second, resilience comes from the willingness to adapt, evolve, and respond to change, especially during periods of disruption and uncertainty. And third, long term relevance means staying grounded in our values while continuing to innovate and create measurable impact for our business, people and communities.
Remaining resilient across generations also requires continuous transformation. Whether through innovation, sustainability, or investments in people and technology, the Group continues to adapt to changing realities while advancing business and communities for future generations.
