Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Anna Ma. Margarita B. “Meean” Dy made history in 2023 when she was named the first female President and Chief Executive Officer of property giant Ayala Land Inc.
Ayala Corp. chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said then that he was confident that with Dy at the helm of the 35-year-old market heavyweight would “continue to have meaningful impact in all the lives and communities we touch.”
Just a year into the job, Dy has shown that the confidence has been well placed, with ALI recording stellar numbers under her watch.
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At the end of the first half of this year, the property arm of the country’s oldest and largest conglomerate recorded a net income of P13.1 billion, up 15 percent from the same period in 2023 due to robust property demand and robust consumer activity.
With interest rates coming down, making housing loans within reach of more Filipinos, hopes are high that the financial performance this year will exceed last year’s yearend profit of P24.5 billion, a 32-percent jump from the prior year.
And Dy is determined to beat those numbers and will get more than a little help from other women in her management team.
Dy proudly says that because Ayala Land is an equal opportunity employer, which means that everyone has the same chance of making it up the corporate ladder, no matter the gender.
Thus in Ayala Land today, more than half or 53 percent of the employees are women. In the management committee, four of the nine are women. Indeed, since she joined the company almost 20 years ago, women have always been part of the leadership team.
Thus, being a woman was not a handicap for the 54-year-old Dy, who has long held her own in a male dominated world, having grown up with four brothers (no sisters) and 15 male cousins (three females).
“The challenges I’ve faced in my career were not because of my gender but were natural hurdles of a demanding career,” she says.
That said, Dy said she would not have been able to accomplish as much were it not for the sold support system around her given that the practical challenge for most women in the workforce is childcare.
“I was fortunate to have a support system that helped me cope – from an understanding husband, a supportive mother and mother in law to loving nannies who watched over my children. I would not be here without them,” Dy stressed.
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This is why she believes that to keep more women on the leadership path, the childcare challenge that most women face needs to be solved.
“A big part of this is having men take more responsibility in child rearing. Women need not feel guilty that they are sharing this responsibility. They can be good mothers and role models, and still have successful careers at the same time. This shift is cultural and fortunately, is already happening,” Dy says.
Then in the workplace, what companies should do to support women is to treat them the same way as men. Give them the same opportunities and the same challenges. Measure them by the same metrics and hold them to the same standards so that gender will not figure in the evaluation of their worth and in the decision as to whether they will get the top spot.
“At Ayala Land, performance and capability are the drivers of advancement. We have seen that when merit is the main driver, people naturally find their way to leadership. It is about making sure that the doors are open, and women are prepared to walk through them,” Dy said.
For her, regardless of gender, a good leader should have vision, accountability, empathy and resilience.
“Leadership is about how you approach challenges and guide teams toward shared goals. Both men and women can excel in this regard. That said, each person brings their unique strengths and perspectives, and that diversity is what makes organizations stronger,” she said.
Asked on her advice to young women who may want to follow in her footsteps, she said: “Focus on what you can control—your work ethic, your ability to learn, and your commitment to excellence.”
“Take on challenges, be proactive, and do not shy away from leadership roles when the opportunity presents itself. Success does not happen overnight, it comes from showing up fully and consistently, even when the path is not always clear. Stay curious, stay driven, and always aim to grow,” Dy said.