Telecom veteran Napoleon Nazareno, 77
MANILA, Philippines — Napoleon Nazareno, a longtime telecommunications executive who led PLDT Inc. and helped steer the expansion of mobile and digital services in the country through its wireless arm, Smart Communications Inc., has died. He was 77.
Nazareno’s daughter, Apple Nazareno Faraon, announced his death on social media.
“Polly peacefully joined our Creator on a snowy evening, after suffering from a spontaneous intracranial hemorrage at the Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital in Toronto surrounded by the warm love of his family,” Faraon wrote.
Nazareno spent more than four decades in business, with much of his later career focused on telecommunications and information technology, where he became one of the most prominent industry leaders in the Philippines.
He served as president and chief executive officer of PLDT from 2004 to 2015, a period marked by the rapid growth of mobile communications and broadband services in the country.
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He also headed Smart Communications Inc. from 2000 to 2015, overseeing the company’s rise as a dominant player in the wireless market.
During his tenure, he led several key subsidiaries, including ePLDT, Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (Digitel), and Smart Broadband Inc., helping expand the group’s footprint across digital and connectivity services.
Nazareno also served on the boards of various companies and institutions, including Manila Electric Co., PLDT Global Corp. and First Pacific Co. Ltd., a Hong Kong-listed firm.
READ: PLDT says CEO retiring; top-level revamp set
Post-retirement
After exiting the telco industry, he remained active in corporate governance, serving as an independent director of PayMongo Philippines Inc. At Security Bank, Nazareno served on board committees focused on audit and risk management.
Beyond corporate leadership, Nazareno also served on the boards of academic and nonprofit institutions.
He served as chair of the board of trustees and board of governors of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) from 2011 to 2017, and was also president and trustee of the First Pacific Leadership Academy.
Nazareno also served as a trustee of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation and Ideaspace.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City and a master’s degree in business management from AIM. He also completed the executive program at INSEAD in France.
In recognition of his contributions, he was conferred a Doctor of Technology degree, honoris causa, by the University of San Carlos. /dda
