The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines inducted its 2026–2027 Board of Trustees during its First General Membership Meeting held on 3 March at the Gallardo Jr. Ballroom of Makati Diamond Residences.
Leading the organization for the new term are Chairman Ronald Barreiro, chief executive officer of Dentsu Creative Philippines, and President Ricky Gonzales, managing partner and creative head of Over The Moon Communications.
Other officers include Vice President Mike Garcia, managing director of Ogilvy Manila; Board Secretary Janlo Cui, business director of Havas Ortega; Treasurer Martin De Guzman, managing director of Elevation; and Controller Mitzie Lim-Nacianceno, vice president and managing partner of McCann Worldgroup.
Completing the nine-member board are trustees Paolo Broma, chief marketing officer of TBWA\SMP; Henson Wongaiham, co-founder and managing partner of Ad Hoc Marketing; and Karen Go, general manager of BBDO Guerrero.
The board members were sworn in by Robert Labayen, head of Creative Communication Management at ABS-CBN, who also delivered the keynote address.
In his speech, Labayen underscored the need for organizations to plan for change and remain relevant in a rapidly evolving industry. He also highlighted the importance of collaboration and humility in leadership as the media and advertising landscape continues to shift.
For his part, Gonzales outlined the board’s 2026 plan of action focused on sustaining the advertising industry, attracting more students to pursue careers in the field and strengthening engagement with member agencies.
He also stressed the importance of investing in young talent through training programs and lectures, including upskilling initiatives in artificial intelligence and creativity. Gonzales added that the organization will review the industry’s pitch policy to better protect agencies in an increasingly competitive environment.
Barreiro acknowledged the pressures facing agencies today, including artificial intelligence-driven disruption, changing business models and tightening margins.
Despite these challenges, he said the organization will continue to promote the theme “Creativity Means Business,” while emphasizing sustainable growth and stronger leadership within the industry.
“The challenges are real, but so are we. Together, we will navigate them, grow from them, and leave an industry stronger than we found it,” Barreiro said.
The 4As Philippines is the country’s premier organization of accredited advertising agencies, promoting creative excellence, professional standards and sustainable industry growth.
