5 Young Leaders From The Philippines On The Gen.T List 2020

Meet five entrepreneurs from the Philippines on our list of 400 Leaders of Tomorrow

We revealed the 400 honourees on the Gen.T List 2020 at unveiling events across the region.

To give you a taste of what to expect from the 48 young leaders on the list from the Philippines, here are five honourees that represent the tenacity and talent of all the honourees from the country this year.

Roland Ros

Above Roland Ros

For launching the Philippines’ fastest growing social video app

Founder and CEO, Kumu

Social community video app Kumu, which Roland Ros co-founded in 2018, aims to become the Philippines’ biggest social network. It’s been growing by 100 percent a month since it launched and now has more than five million registered users, mostly Gen Z and millennials, who between them broadcast about 30,000 live streams a day. In April 2020 it closed a US$5 million Series A round.

Ezra Acayan

Above Ezra Acayan

For shining a much needed light on human rights abuses

Photographer, Getty

Ezra Acayan is a documentary photographer based in Manila whose work focuses on social issues and human rights. He is best known for his work highlighting the suffering caused by the Philippine government’s war on drugs, which has appeared in numerous international media outlets, and for which he received a special merit at the Human Rights Press Awards. In 2019 he received a World Press Photo Award in the Spot News category.

Maureen Nova Ledesma

Above Maureen Nova Ledesma

For launching one of Southeast Asia’s most important financial services platforms

Co-founder, and CMO, Vesl

Maureen Nova Ledesma worked in London for many years as a banker before returning to Asia to launch Vesl, a fintech company providing a platform that connects lenders and businesses to credit insurers. It also identifies specific insurance products that can propel growth, levelling the playing field for those who need it most. In 2019, Vesl won top prize at the She Loves Tech Philippines startup competition.

Dan Matutina

Above Dan Matutina

For putting Filipino graphic design and illustration on the map

Co-founder, Plus63 Design and Hydra Design Group

You’ve probably seen the work of graphic designer and illustrator Dan Matutina, or that of design collective Hydra Design Group and multidisciplinary design studio Plus63, both of which he co-founded, with clients including Apple, Google, Samsung, Wired, Coca-Cola and Uniqlo. Offering branding, strategy and design solutions that span identity, apparel and objects, nothing in the creative realm is off limits for Dan and his team.

Vico Sotto

Above Vico Sotto

For providing exemplary leadership during a time of distress and hardship

Mayor, Pasig City

Vico Sotto is one of the politicians who has stepped up to the plate during the Covid-19 pandemic. The mayor of Pasig in Metro Manila, his efforts during the outbreak have involved organising aid packages, including food and cleaning products, creating an online market to encourage residents to stay home and make it easier to buy food during lockdown, organising electric buses to transport frontline workers, and procuring drones to disinfect the streets.

See more honourees from the Philippines on the Gen.T List 2020.

Topics

Entrepreneur Startup Philippines

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