Daily Tribune‘We are excited that there is renewed interest for New Zealand to explore opportunities in our country. Likewise, we are interested in what we can learn from our Kiwi friends across a wide range of industries and sectors’
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Private Sector Advisory Council lead convenor and Aboitiz Group president Sabin Aboitiz (rightmost) and Ayala Group chairperson Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (second from left) engage in an animated discussion with New Zealand delegates to explore potential business opportunities and to foster stronger economic ties at the Philippine-New Zealand Business Matching Session.
Photograph courtesy of Private Sector Advisory Council
Ayala Corp., the country’s oldest conglomerate, has tapped New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), a government-run economic development and trade promotion agency, to explore business opportunities where the parties can collaborate on.
Ayala Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said the partnership will open doors for his company to access new markets, leverage cutting-edge technologies, and strengthen its competitive advantage.
“We are excited that there is renewed interest for New Zealand to explore opportunities in our country. Likewise, we are interested in what we can learn from our Kiwi friends across a wide range of industries and sectors,” Zobel said in a press statement.
Regional conglomerate
Zobel de Ayala also highlighted the strategic significance of the partnership, saying that it aligns with Ayala’s long-term vision of becoming a leading regional conglomerate.
Ayala and NZTE signed their agreement last 19 April, when New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited Ayala’s headquarters during his official state visit to the Philippines.
The signing was led by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise CEO Peter Chrisp, Ayala Corporation CEO Cezar Consing, and Ayala Corporation chief finance officer Albert de Larrazabal.
It was witnessed by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Kell, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise General Manager of International Clare Wilson, and Zobel de Ayala.
Phl a fast-growing economy
For Prime Minister Luxon, the Philippines stands as one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.
“We’re very grateful to be here. This [Ayala] is a conglomerate with huge capabilities and huge interests in multiple sectors across the Philippine economy,” the Prime Minister said.
Ayala ended 2023 with a remarkable 48 percent growth in core net income, amounting to a record-breaking P41 billion.
The growth was primarily driven by the outstanding performance of its banking, real estate, and power businesses.
Ayala has been working diligently to grow its businesses across all segments to maintain its impressive growth.
Rebranding
One of the most recent developments was the rebranding of AC Motors to ACMobility as part of its transformation to become an end-to-end mobility provider.
Since 2023, the Ayala Group has been investing in the development of electric vehicle charging stations, which have been consolidated under the management of ACMobility.
The company aims to continue rolling out new stations to support the automotive industry’s transition towards electric mobility.
