22fun BIZ BUZZ: DJ ‘John-C’ goes to AC

The era of succession plans continues in 2025, and the first to make the move is the country’s oldest conglomerate.

Juan Carlos “John-C” Syquia, currently the executive vice president and head of institutional banking at Bank of the Philippine Islands (and an excellent DJ in his spare time), would be the deputy chief financial officer (CFO) of Ayala Corp. effective May 1.

“We are pleased to have John-C join us at Ayala Corp.,” said Cezar Consing, president and CEO of Ayala.

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“His extensive banking experience, strong financial acumen and proven leadership give us great confidence that Ayala’s financial leadership will remain in very capable hands,” he added.

FEATURED STORIES BUSINESS Trump tells Davos elites: Produce in US or pay tariffs BUSINESS BIZ BUZZ: DJ ‘John-C’ goes to AC BUSINESS US stocks gain ground after Trump Davos remarks

READ: BIZ BUZZ: Almendras hangs up Ayala hat

This announcement, of course, comes with another big revelation: Alberto de Larrazabal, who has been the conglomerate’s CFO since April 2021, is retiring on Dec. 31 this year.

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By Jan. 1, 2026, we expect “deputy” to be removed from Syquia’s official title.

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His appointment is also not without basis. Apart from playing an important role in one of the country’s top banks, Syquia also has three decades of experience in corporate and investment banking.

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Before he joined BPI in 2016, he ran the corporate finance and relationship management businesses at ING and Standard Chartered.

Outside of banking, John-C is a DJ with a purpose: He spins retro sounds at private events and donates all fees to a special fund set aside by Xavier School Batch ’83 Foundation for the emergency medical expenses of faculty members.

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An alumnus of Fordham University in New York and Ateneo de Manila University, Syquia looks to be the most fitting candidate.

Let the era of transition begin! —Meg J. Adonis

JTI PH’s not-so-new boss

Guilherme Silva, a veteran of leadership roles across various markets at Japan Tobacco International’s (JTI) global operations, has returned to the Philippines after more than a decade to lead JTI’s local unit as general manager (GM) starting this month.

Silva switched seats with John Freda, who is now GM of JTI’s Iberia market cluster based in Madrid, Spain, but also covers Portugal, the Canary Islands, Andorra and Gibraltar.

The Iberia assignment was Silva’s most recent post, which he held since 2020. His first stint with JTI Philippines was in 2011 as marketing director. Since then, Silva has served as head of JTI Cambodia, GM of JTI Malaysia and marketing and sales vice president at JTI’s western Europe operations.

Silva’s return happens two months after JTI Philippines expanded its offering with the launch in November of “reduced-risk” products (RRPs), including heated tobacco under the brand Ploom and nicotine pouches through Nordic Spirit.

Globally, JTI is investing heavily on RRPs, especially heated tobacco, anticipating that this category would overtake traditional cigarettes as the industry’s dominant product category.

“I am excited to be back in the Philippines to lead a very dynamic market where JTI is now the country’s fastest-growing tobacco company in terms of market share,” Silva said.

“Most of all, I am eager to work with the team again and experience why JTI Philippines has been recognized annually as top employer since 2022 and the first company in the country to earn EY’s Global Equality Standard certificate,” he adds. —Ronnel W. Domingo

‘Hijacking of public assets’

The Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) is not ready to concede in its legal tussle against Ramon Ang-led Petron22fun Corp., as it warned of a potential massive “hijacking of public assets” in the country if the Supreme Court won’t intervene.

The state-run group, represented by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, filed its second motion for reconsideration, just two months after the higher court had junked with its petition involving both parties’ yearslong land dispute.

It continues to pray for the Supreme Court to step in and review the decision of the Court of Appeals that allows the transfer of contested land assets despite allegedly being excluded from the privatization agreement. PNOC also said that the CA’s decision had used “speculations,” which should warrant further probe.

The ownership brawl involves about 357 hectares of properties, including refinery lots in Bataan, bulk plant sites and service station lots—with the PNOC claiming these are worth P100 billion.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents that it opened the probe on Thursday after the company reported four crashes when Teslas encountered sun glare, fog and airborne dust.

“PNOC is left with no judicial remedy other than this petition for review to prevent what could be one of the largest hijackings of public assets in our country,” it said in its appeal.

“The execution of the CA decision could result in one of the largest inequitable losses to the government and the Filipino people for private gain,” PNOC added.

PNOC still “respectfully begs” for the SC’s favorable action, despite Petron’s earlier filing to the local bourse that the court would no longer entertain further pleadings.

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Petron, meanwhile, has yet to respond when sought for comments. —Lisbet K. Esmael 

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