SM group’s Sy-coson named management man of the year

The SM Group’s Teresita Sy-Coson was named “Management Man of the Year 2016” by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), for successfully steering the group’s businesses to become among the biggest in their respective fields in the country today.

According to MAP, Coson was chosen for “steering the SM Group’s retail business to greater heights with her over four decades of retail experience, (and) transforming the SM Group’s property business into one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia with investments in malls, residences, commercial buildings, leisure and tourism.”

The group also cited Coson’s “valuable contribution in sustaining the BDO’s position as the leading bank in the Philippines” and “her leadership role in the substantial contributions of the SM Group of companies to national development, job creation and income generation through its huge investments in real estate, banking, shopping malls, hotels, convention centers and gaming.

Sy-Coson was also said to have significantly contributed to “strengthening the identity of companies under the SM Group as socially responsible corporate citizens through the SM Foundation’s developmental programs on education, livelihood, health and wellness, and the BDO Foundation’s programs in the areas of relief operations, education, shelter and livelihood which have improved the lives of many Filipinos all over the country.

MAP also cited Coson’s contribution to re-shaping national values through her track record of integrity, professional competence, and strong leadership.

The MAP Management Man of the Year is a prestigious award that the business group gives to individuals in the business community or government for “attaining unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and for contributing to the country’s progress.”

The criteria for the award include integrity, leadership, and management qualities; contribution to nation building and values formation and effective stewardship within the confines of the highest standard of business and management practice.

The distinction has only been conferred 40 times in the 50-year history of the award. —AMY R. REMO