A virus had overtaken the world when Sabin Aboitiz stepped up to helm the conglomerate his family had established in 1920.

“A great transformation” was his ultimate goal, but the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic made the then newly installed Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) president and CEO reassess his initial plans.

Five years later, the Sabin-led Aboitiz Group could already claim the singular distinction of being “the Philippines’ first techglomerate.”

Undertaking such a huge transformation could not have been easy. But Sabin, who took over the role from his older brother, Erramon, was clear about his vision from the outset, despite the transition being delayed by the pandemic and the transformation itself being “an all-new space,” as he said in an interview in 2024.

Sabin Aboitiz has talked about the hows and whys of his objectives for the conglomerate. He brings up the use of “tech not for tech’s sake” and enthuses about the value of diversification. Clearly, he sees something not everyone can, but one thing is always apparent: for this visionary, it begins with open minds. For him, a change in mindset must be created so that, in this case, an entire conglomerate can grow into the future.

One would think someone of his worth — personal net worth estimated at $2.2 billion, according to Forbes in 2025 — would loosen the reins and let the business run at its own pace. Not for this scion, however, who had no qualms about bringing the business into the new age and creating the blueprint for its sustainable future.

Beyond using the wisdom of experience, Sabin has the courage to take risks. “You have to make a leap; otherwise you’ll fall behind,” he once said.

Who can deny the winning quality of this business magnate who, far from being a digital native, proved to the world that one can adapt to — and flourish in — the times, be a positive influence on present and future generations, and never stop innovating?

“We want to be legacy, but also agile,” he also said in an interview.

So, from being an over-a-century-old family legacy business on the brink of “lethargy,” the name Aboitiz became relevant again, all in the space of a few years. And what kind of man made it happen?

Having your Coke and drinking it, too

By “casting a wide net,” the Aboitiz Group, under the leadership of Sabin, acquired Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines in February 2024. The CEO took the group into new ground but mitigated risk by taking on a known brand rather than building one from the ground up.

That deal, completed in partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, gave us the forward-thinking yet present-moment Sabin Aboitiz wisdom: “The fish that come in depend on the currents of that day.”

It also offered a glimpse into the CEO’s mind, one that can be assumed to be guided by a courage of conviction that leads the way through uncharted territory. Sabin wanted “access to a broad range of consumers,” and Coke led the way for its “entire ecosystem of companies.”

This desire for integration and a heart for community distinguish this particular Aboitiz family man, who also said: “Community must grow with you. I tell people that work with us that not only is it you, but it’s about you and your families. Because our personal lives are so intertwined with our professional lives, and we have to look at that, too.”

Man at the top

AEV operates across several major industries, covering power, banking and financial services, food manufacturing, real estate and infrastructure, data science, and artificial intelligence. It employs over 35,000 people nationwide.

It was established by Sabin’s great-grandfather Paulino Aboitiz, described as “a sailor and Spanish farmer’s son from Spain’s Basque region,” who eventually settled in the Philippines in the late 1800s and founded an abaca trading business in the 1870s that began in Leyte province. It was called Aboitiz & Co. As the family grew, its business interests grew as well, diversifying into shipping and today into power, water, food, and technology.

Sabin belongs to the fourth generation of Aboitizes in the Philippines, which has “over 500 members, 17 of whom are actively engaged in the business.” The boss of AEV has been described by those he has met as a “charming, guy-next-door,” which belies the incredible strength it must take to design and orchestrate a transformation of an empire.

Certainly, it takes a deep and wide understanding of multiple things — of the business, of technology, of a family legacy, and of what it takes to endure and evolve.

Sabin, who has always worked in various roles within the corporation, obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus on finance from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, USA.

He and his brothers, Enrique and Erramon, have always been active in the family business, with Enrique now AEV chairman, Erramon a member of the board, and Sabin as AEV president and CEO.