Xurpas CEO vies for ‘World Entrepreneur’
TECHNOPRENEUR Nico Jose “Nix” Nolledo, chair and chief executive officer of consumer technology firm Xurpas Inc., was named “Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2015” by global professional services firm EY.
With this citation, Nolledo gets to represent the Philippines in the “World Entrepreneur Of The Year” awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco on June 2016.
Nolledo also received the Master Entrepreneur award for applying sound management practices in the critical areas of the company such as finance, business development, marketing, human resources and sales. He was recognized for his vision and insight, which foresaw the potential of mobile Internet to change how people live.
Xurpas’ product portfolio includes casual games, stickers, messaging and social discovery applications, as well as call/SMS/data bundles, mobile advertising, and mobile commerce.
“Entrepreneurs are perceptive business leaders who understand a vital truth — that in order to win the game, one must sometimes change the rules for the better. Capitalizing on their strategic vision, entrepreneurs see the possibilities and opportunities that others cannot. As game changers, entrepreneurs continually innovate and improve the business landscape, just like how Mr. Nolledo of Xurpas, Inc. has accelerated the evolution of mobile application technology in the Philippines,” SGV chair and managing partner Cirilo Noel said.
The recipients of the category awards were chosen from among 11 outstanding finalists representing enterprises from diverse industries from various regions in the country. Other category awards presented were for the woman entrepreneur, innovation entrepreneur, industry entrepreneur and small business entrepreneur categories.
Although he couldn’t write any single program, Nolledo appreciated information technology, took advantage of low barriers to entry and built a thriving business around it. When he co-founded Xurpas with Raymond Gerard Racaza and Fernando Jude Garcia 14 years ago, it was a bet on a mobile future for consumers, riding on the explosion in Internet connectivity and mobile phone usage.
From its humble roots as a start-up enterprise with a capitalization of only P62,500 in 2001, Xurpas is now valued by the stock market at P24.2 billion, making Nolledo among the country’s newly minted billionaires. Nolledo has a 26 percent stake in Xurpas.
Since its stock debut in 2014, Xurpas has since then invested in nine other technology firms across Southeast Asia.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year was founded in the United States by professional services firm EY (Ernst & Young) in 1986 to recognize the achievements of the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs worldwide. In the Philippines, the SGV Foundation Inc. established the Entrepreneur Of The Year program in 2003.
Former Philippine Prime Minister Cesar E. A. Virata, corporate vice-chair of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., chaired the Philippine judging panel. The other panel members were former Foreign Affairs Secretary and SGV Senior Adviser Delia Albert, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya, Synergeia CEO Milwida M. Guevara, Philippine Business for Social Progress executive director Rafael Cojuangco Lopa and Philippine Stock Exchange president Hans Sicat.
