The Design Center of the Philippines' executive director, Rhea Matute, has been recognized as one of France's outstanding alumni in the Philippines during the Charity Gala Dinner held at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The gala was hosted by the Embassy of France and SM Supermalls as part of the 26th French Film Festival where it served as the opportunity to honor France's outstanding alumni in the Philippines. The Alumni Awards recognized Filipino alumni and their notable contributions to their respective fields.

The lineup of the 2023 awardees is a sterling example of France's education excellence, the diversity and fruitfulness of French academic credentials and the cross-cultural exposure.

This year's four awardees were Matute (Master's in Business Administration in International Luxury Brand Management, with honors, at ESSEC in Paris); filmmaker and film historian Nick de Ocampo (Atelier du Formacion Au Cinema) of the University of the Philippines Film Institute; internationally recognized Balai Palma chef Aaron Isip (Le Cordon Bleu); and SM Supermalls president Steven Tan (Master's in Business Administration at the Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris).

"We are proud to count Miss Rhea Matute as one of the recipients of the 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award. Her distinguished career as the executive director of the Design Center of the Philippines makes her an ambassador of our higher education system in the country, as well as a role model that we wish to promote among Philippine youth and future students in France. Her professional success will undoubtedly help strengthen the ties between France and the Philippines," said Marc Piton, Counselor for Cultural Cooperation and Action at the French embassy

"My time in Paris provided me with a deep insight into the business of luxury and brand storytelling. We had unprecedented access to the inner workings of the luxury maisons in Paris and turned the entire city into our luxury laboratory. What I learned in ESSEC, I continue to apply in my work at Design Center and DTI, while the contacts I made continue to be my collaborators and resource," Matute said.