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BUSINESS

Delgado in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Asia list

DT · Oct 8, 2026, 2:03 AM

UNIONBANK president and CEO Ana Maria Aboitiz Delgado was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Asia by Fortune magazine for the second time in a row. The recognition reflects not just Delgado’s personal achievements but also her transformative role in the Philippine banking sector, where she has championed digital innovation and customer-centered growth. — Photograph courtesy of UnionBank

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) president and CEO Ana Maria Aboitiz Delgado has been named as one of Asia’s Most Powerful Women by Fortune magazine, placing 98th, making her one of only four Filipinas to grace this year’s edition of the list.

Fortune’s 2026 Most Powerful Women Asia list spotlights “the women at the forefront” of a shifting balance of business power across Asia-Pacific, highlighting leaders who are “shaping industries, companies, and markets far beyond the region.” The annual ranking recognizes 100 women across 14 different Asian markets whose leadership and influence are helping shape the region’s business landscape.

Fifth-generation Aboitiz

Aboitiz Delgado, a fifth-generation Aboitiz, joined UnionBank in 2003 after a brief Citibank stint, becoming president and CEO in January 2025. Fortune also recognized Aboitiz Delgado’s role in the broader Philippine financial sphere. She ranked 94th in last year’s edition of the list.

“In March 2026, she became the first woman to lead the Bankers Association of the Philippines in its nearly 80-year history,” the magazine said. “[S]he champions AI, comparing its rise to internet banking’s early days.”

Aboitiz Delgado’s recognition comes as UnionBank more than doubled its net income in the first half of 2026 to P6.9 billion, up 113 percent from a year earlier, driven by continued strength in its core businesses, higher lending and stronger fee income.

The parent bank accounted for 96 percent of the group’s profit during the period.

UnionBank also earned praise from TIME

The Aboitiz family-led lender also earned praise from TIME magazine, who moved up 83 places in TIME magazine’s World’s Best Companies 2026 ranking, making it the only Philippine company among the four local firms on this year’s list to improve its position from a year earlier.

UnionBank ranked 681st among 1,000 companies worldwide, up from 764th in 2025, according to the 2026 ranking. The bank was also the second-highest-ranked Philippine company on this year’s list, behind only Security Bank Corp., which placed 508th.

Meanwhile, Mynt president and CEO Martha Sazon Sazon 35th, making her the highest-ranked Filipina for the second straight year.

Her recognition comes as GCash parent Mynt moves toward its 20 October stock-market debut, which could raise as much as P60.9 billion and become the Philippines’ largest IPO.

Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Lynette Ortiz also placed 77th, while Megaworld president and CEO Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso placed 87th.