The Philippines’ influential business families
The Philippines’ business world is dominated by a handful of influential business families that have stakes in almost every aspect of the economy, from energy and media to real estate and manufacturing.
For prospective investors eyeing the Philippines, it would be more than wise to examine the intricate webs these families have woven across the archipelago.
From the billionaire Chinese immigrant Henry Sy, the country’s richest person, to the homegrown Cebuano Aboitiz family, below is a list of the business elite you can’t afford not to know.

The Sy Family
Headed by the Philippines’ richest man, Henry Sy, the Sy Family runs SM Investments, the country’s largest company, which is also the largest mall developer. The Chinese Filipino family originating from Fujian, China also has interests in management, real estate development, banking and tourism.
Net worth: $13.2 billion (2013)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
SM Investments (recently merged all real estate assets) | Retail, property development, banking, tourism | 67 |
SM Prime Holdings | Real Estate | 100 |
Banco De Oro (largest loan portfolio) | Finance | 31.45 |
Bell Corporation | Real Estate / Gaming | 100 |
Heads: Henry Sy
Key people: Teresita Sy-Coson (successor)

The Lopez Family
Hailing from Iloilo, the Lopez family runs the Lopez Group, the umbrella under which its flagship company Lopez Holdings acts as a major player in the country’s utilities and telecommunications sectors.
Net worth: $6.67 billion, Lopez Group of Companies (2013)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
Lopez Holdings | Investment | 52.8 |
ABS-CBN Corp (largest media conglomerate) | Broadcast Media | 60.3 |
Sky Vision Corp | Broadcast Media | 33.1 |
Bayan Telecommunications | Telecom | 47.3 |
First Philippine Holdings Company (subsidiaries are largest producers of renewable energy) | Energy | 46.6 |
Meralco (largest power distributor) | Power Distribution | 33.4 |
Rockwell Corporation(recently announced first Cebu expansion) | Real Estate | 87.2 |
Heads: Oscar M. Lopez and Manuel M. Lopez (brothers)
Key people: Eugenio Gabby L. Lopez III, Federico Rufino Lopez

The Gongkowei Family
With origins from Fujian, China, John Gokongwei and his family have holdings in telecommunications, financial services, petrochemicals, power generation, aviation and live stock farming. Most notable of recent, Gokongwei’s Robinsons Retail Group is planning a highly anticipated IPO sometime in 2013.
Net worth: $3.2 billion (2012)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
JG Summit | Investment | 68.45 |
Robinsons Retail Group (planning IPO) | Retail | 100 |
Robinsons Land | Real Estate | 61 |
Robinsons Bank | Finance | 70.8 |
Cebu Pacific Air | Aviation | 67.2 |
Universal Robina | Consumer Goods | 60.6 |
PLDT (largest company by market cap) | Telecom | 8 |
Heads: John Gokongwei
Key people: Lance Gokongwei (Cebu Pacific), Ms. Robina Gokongwei-Pe (Robinsons Retail Group)

The Ayala Family
The Ayala’s influence in the Philippines dates back to colonial rule, when the Spanish and German Ayala, Zobel and Roxas families were united. Ayala is the country’s oldest and largest conglomerate. However, their history has resulted in the spreading out of their investments across a multitude of industries, including retail, real estate, banking, telecommunications, water infrastructure, renewable energy, electronics, information technology, and business process outsourcing.
Net income: $2.9 billion, Ayala Corporation (2012)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
Ayala Corporation | Investment | 51.15 |
Ayala Land (largest property developer) | Real Estate | 50.4 |
Bank of the Philippine Islands (largest bank in terms of market cap) | Finance | 44 |
Globe Telecom (second largest telecom company) | Telcom | 30.4 |
Manila Water Company | Utilities | 42.9 |
LiveIt Investments | BPO and IT | 100 |
AG Holdings | Real Estate | 100 |
AG Energy Holdings | Energy | 100 |
Head: Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala
Key people: Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Mercedita S. Nolledo

The Aboitiz Family
Descending from the Basque country in Spain, the Aboitiz family of Cebu is a large power producer, with stakes in renewable and conventional energy in Mindanao through its flagship Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Bukidnon Hydropower Corp. The Aboitiz family is considered the most aggressive private developer of energy on Mindanao.
Net worth: $1.52 billion (2013)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
Aboitiz Power Corporation | Energy | 76 |
Union Bank | Finance | 43.3 |
Pilmico Food Corporation | Food Producer | 100 |
AEV Aviation | Aviation | 100 |
Head: Jon Ramon Aboitiz
Key people: Mikel Aboitiz, Roberto Aboitiz, Erramon I. Aboitiz
The Philippines’ business world is dominated by a handful of influential business families that have stakes in almost every aspect of the economy, from energy and media to real estate and manufacturing. For prospective investors eyeing the Philippines, it would be more than wise to examine the intricate webs these families have woven across the archipelago. From the billionaire Chinese immigrant Henry Sy, the country’s richest person, to the homegrown Cebuano Aboitiz family, below is a list of the business elite you can’t afford not to know. [caption id="attachment_9933" align="alignleft" width="114"] Henry Sy[/caption] The Sy Family Headed by the...
The Philippines’ business world is dominated by a handful of influential business families that have stakes in almost every aspect of the economy, from energy and media to real estate and manufacturing.
For prospective investors eyeing the Philippines, it would be more than wise to examine the intricate webs these families have woven across the archipelago.
From the billionaire Chinese immigrant Henry Sy, the country’s richest person, to the homegrown Cebuano Aboitiz family, below is a list of the business elite you can’t afford not to know.

The Sy Family
Headed by the Philippines’ richest man, Henry Sy, the Sy Family runs SM Investments, the country’s largest company, which is also the largest mall developer. The Chinese Filipino family originating from Fujian, China also has interests in management, real estate development, banking and tourism.
Net worth: $13.2 billion (2013)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
SM Investments (recently merged all real estate assets) | Retail, property development, banking, tourism | 67 |
SM Prime Holdings | Real Estate | 100 |
Banco De Oro (largest loan portfolio) | Finance | 31.45 |
Bell Corporation | Real Estate / Gaming | 100 |
Heads: Henry Sy
Key people: Teresita Sy-Coson (successor)

The Lopez Family
Hailing from Iloilo, the Lopez family runs the Lopez Group, the umbrella under which its flagship company Lopez Holdings acts as a major player in the country’s utilities and telecommunications sectors.
Net worth: $6.67 billion, Lopez Group of Companies (2013)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
Lopez Holdings | Investment | 52.8 |
ABS-CBN Corp (largest media conglomerate) | Broadcast Media | 60.3 |
Sky Vision Corp | Broadcast Media | 33.1 |
Bayan Telecommunications | Telecom | 47.3 |
First Philippine Holdings Company (subsidiaries are largest producers of renewable energy) | Energy | 46.6 |
Meralco (largest power distributor) | Power Distribution | 33.4 |
Rockwell Corporation(recently announced first Cebu expansion) | Real Estate | 87.2 |
Heads: Oscar M. Lopez and Manuel M. Lopez (brothers)
Key people: Eugenio Gabby L. Lopez III, Federico Rufino Lopez

The Gongkowei Family
With origins from Fujian, China, John Gokongwei and his family have holdings in telecommunications, financial services, petrochemicals, power generation, aviation and live stock farming. Most notable of recent, Gokongwei’s Robinsons Retail Group is planning a highly anticipated IPO sometime in 2013.
Net worth: $3.2 billion (2012)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
JG Summit | Investment | 68.45 |
Robinsons Retail Group (planning IPO) | Retail | 100 |
Robinsons Land | Real Estate | 61 |
Robinsons Bank | Finance | 70.8 |
Cebu Pacific Air | Aviation | 67.2 |
Universal Robina | Consumer Goods | 60.6 |
PLDT (largest company by market cap) | Telecom | 8 |
Heads: John Gokongwei
Key people: Lance Gokongwei (Cebu Pacific), Ms. Robina Gokongwei-Pe (Robinsons Retail Group)

The Ayala Family
The Ayala’s influence in the Philippines dates back to colonial rule, when the Spanish and German Ayala, Zobel and Roxas families were united. Ayala is the country’s oldest and largest conglomerate. However, their history has resulted in the spreading out of their investments across a multitude of industries, including retail, real estate, banking, telecommunications, water infrastructure, renewable energy, electronics, information technology, and business process outsourcing.
Net income: $2.9 billion, Ayala Corporation (2012)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
Ayala Corporation | Investment | 51.15 |
Ayala Land (largest property developer) | Real Estate | 50.4 |
Bank of the Philippine Islands (largest bank in terms of market cap) | Finance | 44 |
Globe Telecom (second largest telecom company) | Telcom | 30.4 |
Manila Water Company | Utilities | 42.9 |
LiveIt Investments | BPO and IT | 100 |
AG Holdings | Real Estate | 100 |
AG Energy Holdings | Energy | 100 |
Head: Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala
Key people: Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Mercedita S. Nolledo

The Aboitiz Family
Descending from the Basque country in Spain, the Aboitiz family of Cebu is a large power producer, with stakes in renewable and conventional energy in Mindanao through its flagship Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Bukidnon Hydropower Corp. The Aboitiz family is considered the most aggressive private developer of energy on Mindanao.
Net worth: $1.52 billion (2013)
Key holdings:
Company | Sector | Stake (%) |
Aboitiz Power Corporation | Energy | 76 |
Union Bank | Finance | 43.3 |
Pilmico Food Corporation | Food Producer | 100 |
AEV Aviation | Aviation | 100 |
Head: Jon Ramon Aboitiz
Key people: Mikel Aboitiz, Roberto Aboitiz, Erramon I. Aboitiz
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Thank you for this. This really helps in my discussion in MANAGING A FAMILY BUSINESS for my Entrepreneurial Class. God bless 🙂