Forbes Asia has named Mariana Zobel de Ayala, eighth-generation heir of the influential Ayala family, among its 2025 “Asia’s Power Businesswomen,” a list recognizing 20 accomplished female leaders who are shaping the region’s rapidly evolving business landscape.
Zobel de Ayala serves as the Head of Leasing and Hospitality for Ayala Land Inc., the property arm of Ayala Corp., the country’s oldest conglomerate with a market capitalization of $5.8 billion. At just 35, she is helming one of the company’s most ambitious undertakings: a $1.5 billion redevelopment program to refresh and expand Ayala Land’s portfolio of malls, offices, and hotels.
The initiative includes the redevelopment of eight existing malls and the construction of new properties, which is expected to increase Ayala Land’s gross leasable area by one-third to 2.9 million square meters by 2028. On top of this, Zobel de Ayala is steering a $500 million hospitality investment that will nearly double the company’s hotel room inventory to 8,000 by 2030, consolidating Ayala Land’s footprint in the country’s booming real estate and tourism sectors.
Zobel de Ayala joins a distinguished roster of female leaders in Forbes’ 2025 list, all of whom are first-time honorees. The list includes business giants from across Asia, including Priya Nair, the first woman CEO of Hindustan Unilever in India; Maggie Ng, the head of HSBC Hong Kong; and Amanda Lacaze, who turned Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths into a global industry player.
“Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen list celebrates trailblazers who are not just adapting to change, but actively shaping the future of the region’s business landscape,” said Forbes Asia Editorial Director Rana Wehbe Watson in a statement.
With her strategic role in boosting Ayala Land’s retail and hospitality portfolio, Zobel de Ayala represents a new generation of leadership committed to modernization and sustainable growth, reinforcing the Ayala group’s enduring legacy in Philippine business.