CEOs look back on eventful 2024, look forward to a better 2025

(Fifth of a series)

Despite all the trials and tribulations that came along with 2024, it turned out to be a fairly good one for many of the country’s leading corporations.

Milestones were achieved and targets were met, giving their leaders reasons to look forward to 2025 with excitement.

Here, we asked some of the country’s most influential figures in the corporate world how exactly 2024 treated them and what they are looking forward to the most in the coming Year of the Snake.

READ: CEOs look back on eventful 2024, look forward to a better 2025

Alex Gamboa

1. ALEX GAMBOA

President and managing director

Global Business Development AG&P Industrial

2024 was an exciting year for Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila Inc. (AG&P Industrial) with the expansion of our global footprint into new continents, strengthening of our fundamentals, and reinforcement of our commitment to sustainability and good governance practices.

Building on our 124-year legacy and the expertise of our 4,000-strong workforce, AG&P Industrial entered the European market for the very first time in the history of the company.

On Sept. 20, 2024, the company set sail its first module shipment to Antwerp, Belgium, for the largest chemical company in Europe, INEOS’ Project ONE, which will pave the way for renewal of the European chemical industry with the state-of-the-art technology for sustainable production at the lowest environmental footprint.

In Australia, we had the Ampol Future Gasoline Desulfurization Fuels Project for Lytton Refinery, in support of Ampol’s major refinery upgrade to meet the Australian government mandated Euro-6 sulfur emission standards.

In Africa, we won the award to build LNG infrastructure to advance energy supply in the region.

We expanded our United States operations, deploying hundreds of highly skilled personnel through our wholly owned subsidiary, AG&P Americas Inc.

In the Philippines, we are serving the Shell Pilipinas Corp.’s fuel terminal project, concluding the Cemex Solid K4 Expansion Project that will boost the country’s construction capacity, and have built Pasar Corp.’s Effluent Treatment Plant.

We re-entered domestic civil infrastructure with the signing of the memorandum of understanding with Visayas Neceboley Holdings Inc. for the National Economic and Development Authority $15-billion mega infrastructure project that will connect the major islands of Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte.

We diversified beyond LNG and natural gas into renewable and geothermal sectors and signed an exclusive memorandum of understanding with Cresphil Inc., Energy Stream Power Corp., and Royal Eijkelkamp.

As AG&P Industrial enters 2025, we are poised to achieve several key milestones, including the completion of our flagship projects—INEOS Project ONE, the Kent-Ampol refinery upgrade, and the Philippines LNG (PHLNG) Import Terminal.

Beyond, AG&P Industrial is set to serve major module projects in the United States, and LNG infrastructure and fuel projects in South and Southeast Asia.

Most importantly, in 2025, AG&P will enter its 125th year as a leading force and a microcosm of the Philippines operating at the center stage of critical infrastructure and clean energy projects around the world.

Martiin Tuason

2. MARTIN TUASON

President and CEO

Armscor Global Defense Inc. (AGDI)

As the leading Filipino firearms, ammunition and defense manufacturer in the Philippines and among Asia’s largest, Armscor Global Defense Inc., has a production capacity of 350,000 units of pistols, rifles and revolvers, as well as 650 million rounds of rimfire and centerfire ammunition per year.

AGDI has been exporting to 60 countries on six continents, and its market in the United States has been consistently increasing since it opened its first office in Nevada in 1985.

2024 was a banner year for AGDI, as we have advocated strongly for The Self-Reliant Defense Posture program that seeks to develop a domestic defense industry to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign suppliers for its defense and security requirements, especially in light of the tensions in the South China Sea and the situation in the Middle East and Europe.

We have supported this very important policy, and we are very pleased that it has been passed by President Marcos.

Another pivotal moment for AGDI is the launch of the Rock Island Armory Defense, a homegrown, international Filipino brand that is set to change the landscape in the local firearms manufacturing industry. Leveraging the engineering experience, excellent craftsmanship and innovative technology of AGDI in producing world-class quality firearms, ammunition and defense products, RIA Defense works with local science and technology experts and sought the expertise of seasoned former military and law enforcement (MI/LE) personnel from various major services for the design and development of products that are attuned to the evolving needs and requirements of the Filipino MI/LE community.

In 2025, AGDI is ready to tap into the P10-billion market in the Philippines, while global business potential is estimated to be at 5-10 times that of the local market.

Innovation and expansion plans of AGDI also focus on the aim to increase capacity to supply the growing requirements of the AFP and the PNP, and generate jobs locally.

(To be continued)