Raffy Fajardo
COUNTRY DIRECTOR
PROCTER & GAMBLE

Raffy has been with P&G for 18 years to date. He is currently the Managing Director of P&G’s Thailand-Myanmar-Laos business where he is directly managing 100+ people in the local organization to grow portfolio of brands ranging from Beauty Care to Household Care. He has held key positions across P&G ranging from local Philippines, to Asia-Pacific regional roles, and even global responsibilities.

Raffy has a strong track record on brand building. He’s behind the most iconic household care brands in Asia-Pacific, having led the launches in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Truly a great marketer, during his the stint in P&G Philippines as the marketing head, P&G won several awards from Cannes Lions and was selected as Client of the Year by ad agencies in the country – a first for P&G Philippines. He is also multi-awarded in P&G, one of the highlights of which was winning the prestigious Campaign of the Year for his work in Febreze in Asia Pacific.

During challenging times, Raffy is known to giving clarity to his people–whether on business or career.

Transparent and objective, Raffy always tells his mentees where they stand, their blind spots and where they can still do better. And he has done so for many Filipino talents in P&G.

If there’s one thing people learned from him, it is to always simplify tough situations and break it down into binary YES/NO questions. He has taught and inspired people that there is always a way out of dark tunnels. Be clear, know what truly matters.

Gina Lorenzana
VICE-PRESIDENT FOR PERSONAL CARE
UNILEVER PHILIPPINES

Gina is the Vice President for Personal Care of Unilever Philippines. She leads the country’s largest Personal Care business that includes well-loved global brands across Hair Care, Skin Care, Oral Care and Deodorants.

For the past 25 years, Gina has created a lasting leadership impact in Unilever through her roles in Regional Brand Development and Local Brand Building, in Personal Care and Home Care, and across Developed and Developing markets.

Having started her career in Unilever Philippines, Gina later moved to China where she started the mass market business as Senior Marketing Manager for Laundry in 1997. She returned to the Philippines in 2000 as Marketing Director for Household Care. In 2001, she moved to Indonesia where she turned around the Hair Care business as Marketing Director. In 2004, Gina became the youngest female Regional Vice President, where she led the Deodorants category for Asia, Africa, Middle East and Turkey.

In 2013, she assumed the role of Vice President for Personal Care, where she led the business to deliver outstanding growth and winning market shares. Gina’s passion for putting consumers first has led to the creation of award-winning ‘Glocal’ campaigns, and her advocacy for ‘values-led’ marketing have inspired Filipino women to realize their own potential for beauty.

In 2013, she assumed the role of Vice President for Personal Care, where she led the business to deliver outstanding growth and winning market shares. Gina’s passion for putting consumers first has led to the creation of award-winning ‘Glocal’ campaigns, and her advocacy for ‘values-led’ marketing have inspired Filipino women to realize their own potential for beauty.

Gina’s leadership impact has been recognized across the industry. She was awarded the 2016 Asia Pacific Tambuli Chief Marketing Communications Officer of the Year. Most recently, she was awarded by President Duterte as one of Go Negosyo’s Inspiring Filipino Women Entrepreneurs.

A role model for diversity and inclusion, Gina has championed work-life integration and pioneered agile working practices. Her inspiring leadership has created a collaborative culture that nurtures and empowers young leaders.

With her passion for beauty, her commitment to ‘values-led’ marketing and her empowering leadership, Gina’s positive influence extends beyond the walls of Unilever to touch the lives of millions of Filipinos everywhere.

Rene Reinoso
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

Rene, currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, has started in an entry-level post and has been with the company for more than thirty years. He has rose from the ranks and is a symbol and testament that a person can really make it if one works hard enough.

Known to being kind, Rene has affinity towards newsboys and has passion towards fighting for education for the poor. As he reached a position of influence, he became part of the following initiatives which are now institutional projects of the Inquirer: Inquirer Libre and Inquirer Read Along as an advocacy to teaching Filipinos the value of reading, PDI Newsboy Foundation to aid newsboys with their education, Inquirer Job Market to bridge the gap between jobseekers and job hunters, among others.

Beyond these successful projects and advocacies, Rene is known as the leader with a heart in Inquirer.

As for the people working with him, it was never about work alone. Every work related discussion is a personal one, as he would always provide advice about life, values and principles, all that would eventually be the dominant driver of all business decisions.

An advocate of creating future leaders, Rene believes that no matter how good you are in marketing and strategy, execution still relies on people. The best execution comes from working with the best people, and as we all know, are hard to get, motivate and retain.

As he always says to his mentees, “be kind to people, train them, nurture them, and they will give their best for you and be with you for life.”

Edwin Totanes
(FORMER) VICE PRESIDENT & GROUP HEAD FOR MARKETING
UNIVERSAL ROBINA CORPORATION

Edwin has over 39 years of experience in brand, marketing, and management. He joined several multi-nationals like P&G, Kraft Foods, Warner-Lambert, Del Monte, and Coca-Cola as well as some Filipino-owned companies such as, RFM and his last corporate stint with Universal Robina Corporation as their Vice-President for Strategic Brand & Portfolio Development.

During Edwin’s post as URC’s Group Head for Marketing, URC was awarded the “Marketing Company of the Year for Asia” in 2015 by the Asia Marketing Federation.

An AB Economics Cum Laude graduate on full scholarship at the Ateneo de Manila in 1978, completed the Advanced Management Program from the Harvard Business School in 1996, a recipient of the Agora Award for Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Management in 2013 and one of the 50 Most-Talented CMOs of Asia during the World Marketing Summit in Malaysia also in 2013, Edwin definitely is a marketing master.

Known as ET to his people, Edwin was inspiring. He surely knows how to unlock limitations and how to challenge his mentees to always strive to be better. He is the kind of leader whom you would want to guide you all throughout your career. Work is definitely fun and more inspiring when you are working with ET.

Edwin believes that “company success is driven by people”. It is how you mold and shape individuals to move towards your vision and at the same time allowing them to fulfill their own career growth. His leadership style is different, because he leads to inspire and motivate.

ET was Cool and Compassionate- C2, but most of all – he was loved by the people around him.”