Al Panlilio

The past couple of years challenged Panlilio as a leader, particularly with the changing market conditions, natural calamities and the aftermath of the pandemic affecting his company's operations. But the PLDT Group remains resilient, thanks to his focused leadership. In fact, PLDT was named the most valuable brand in the Philippines by an independent study from Brand Finance, a London-based business valuation firm, in 2023. It has achieved a two per cent annual increase in brand value to USD2.6 billion, allowing it a higher market share, and posted the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value among all brands listed at USD222 million.

Evolving technologies also challenged Panlilio and PLDT, and the cost of applying and implementing them on local systems is considerable. “The telecommunications industry is capital-intensive,” Panlilio said. “We must ensure we achieve investment returns as the evolution is rapid.” Yet he also sees these developments as opportunities to better serve the company’s clientele and ensure PLDT’s continued relevance in the industry.