Former Shell chief executive is new CDC chair

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE—Former Shell chief executive Eliseo Santiago has been appointed as the new chair of Clark Development Corp. (CDC).

During the CDC board’s meeting on Dec. 18, the directors of the state-owned corporation also appointed Arthur Tugade as its new president and chief executive officer.

Tugade is the founder of the Perry’s Group of Companies, which has dealings in fuel distribution, travel, farming, cargo handling and trucking.

In a statement, CDC said Santiago had replaced former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, Eduardo Oban Jr., who was appointed by President Aquino as undersecretary for operations of the Department of Transportation and Communication.

Oban was both chair and president of CDC.

CDC said Santiago was a Shell executive for 38 years and led the firm in various capacities in the areas of manufacturing, supply, trading, sales and general management.

Santiago also oversaw the company’s retail operations in many parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Singapore and Thailand.

“While holding several positions in the regional operations of Shell, Santiago was responsible for maintaining the company’s growth and profitability in established East Asian markets, which include Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, the North Pacific Islands, Thailand, Laos, Australia, New Zealand, Oman and Pakistan,” CDC said.

Tugade, meanwhile, founded Perry’s Holding Corp., the management arm of Perry’s Group of Companies, which includes Transglobal Equipment Leasing, Perry’s Technology, ATP Travel, Perryome, Perry’s Farm, Transglobal Trucking and Transglobal Consolidators Inc.

His career includes the chairmanship and presidency of several firms, notably Yusen Air & Sea Services, Transnational Diversified Group Inc., TDG Asia Corporation, and Harmony Organic Farms, Inc..

The CDC board also appointed Cresencio Aquino, managing partner of the CP Aquino and Partners Law Office, as its new board member.