Jimenez is PLDT’s new COO

Menardo Jimenez Jr. —PHOTO FROM PLDT

After 23 years in PLDT Inc., Menardo Jimenez Jr. has risen through the ranks of the telecommunications giant as its new chief operating officer.

In a stock exchange filing on Tuesday, the Manuel Pangilinan-led company confirmed Jimenez’s appointment following the approval of its board of directors.

PLDT’s new COO joined the company in 2001 as its media communications and public affairs head.

READ: Jimenez is the new PLDT COO

Before his promotion, Jimenez, whose family partly owns GMA Network Inc. through patriarch Menardo Jimenez Sr., served as PLDT’s vice president and network head.

Throughout his decades-long stint, he likewise led PLDT’s several other departments, including consumer business home, business transformation, human resource and development, and retail business.

Jimenez graduated from the University of the Philippines with a degree in economics.

His appointment comes amid much speculation over who will succeed Alfredo Panlilio as the company’s CEO after stepping down at the end of last year due to health reasons.

Without a new CEO, Pangilinan has since reclaimed his spot at the helm of PLDT.

The telecommunications leader has instead been making changes elsewhere, including Smart Communications Inc.

Earlier this month, sources confirmed that telco veteran Anastacio “Boy” Martirez has made his comeback to the PLDT Group after nearly two decades, this time as Smart’s new COO.

Martirez previously led PLDT’s personal communications and mobile services division before leaving the company in 2005 due to a supposed management feud.

Among Martirez’s key accomplishments was Smart Padala, the country’s first text-based money remittance service.