Filipinos make their marks in the global arena

MANILA, Philippines–Mention overseas Filipino professionals and workers, and what comes top of mind would be doctors, physical therapists, nurses, accountants, IT professionals, engineers, architects, entertainers, technicians, teachers, military servicemen, seafarers, students, fast-food workers, domestic helpers and caregivers. The numbers, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, would come up to an estimated 2.2 million OFs (overseas Filipinos) who have worked outside of their home country’s territory anytime during April to September 2012.

 

With globalization, and the inevitable sharing of expertise across borders, the Philippines stands at the threshold of great opportunities, especially in the automotive sector where rapid motorization among Asian countries has been occurring.

 

The Philippines may not yet be the hub of automotive production in Asia, but what the country lacks in assembly lines, it certainly makes up for in the quality of its manpower. And looking at the roster of Pinoys—many of them are featured here—who have made a name for themselves in the ultracompetitive world of automobile corporations, we can truly say that Filipino workers, in whatever color their collars, are at the top of their class.

 

Vince Socco

 

“I am proud to be a Filipino. But I am more proud about being able to help Filipinos earn a good name for ourselves within our own shores and beyond. In my experience, our achievements are limited only by our own daring. If we dare to succeed—with hard work and a commitment to doing the right thing—we can succeed. It shouldn’t matter where we hail from because, in the end, a good man will never be put down. I join Filipinos everywhere in building a better world for all,” declared Vince Socco, whose phenomenal rise in the market leader Toyota global company has become the career template in the auto industry. Sources say that his position is considered the highest-ranking Filipino in Toyota, or in any other auto brand.

 

Mentor to many successful auto executives, Socco’s career with Toyota spans 30 years. He joined the regional headquarters Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) in 2001 after 18 years with Toyota Motor Philippines, eventually rising to the post of executive vice president until he was seconded to Toyota Motor Corp. headquarters in Toyota City, Japan, in January 2014. He oversees the same region—Asean, India, Pakistan—in his capacity as project general manager of TMAP Japan. Socco graduated with a degree in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines.

 

“I have come to realize that—in the Philippines or anywhere else in the world—more than job titles, what matters most is our ability to keep the customer at the center of all we do and to make sure that we exceed expectations every possible chance we get. I guess that pretty much sums up what my role has been through the years until now,” quipped Socco.

 

Socco said that his venture into automotive marketing was totally unintended. “I just happened to be at the right place at the right time when the position for marketing assistant at Delta Motor was being filled. I went for it. And I got the job. Once in, the world and wonder of automotive marketing unfolded for me; it has held my keen interest until today. Everyday just seems to be like my first day at the office. It has a been an endless learning and giving experience.”

 

Antonio Zara

 

Antonio Zara, Nissan Philippines Inc.’s new president and managing director who had worked overseas for quite some time, believes that “respect is something one can’t ask for—it is something we need to earn.”

 

“Patience, mutual respect, confidence, and a lot of hard work is needed to overcome difficulties. All Filipinos working overseas show such traits. How I wish we would all do the same even without leaving the Philippines. That’s why I don’t believe the future of our economy is through the ‘export’ of Filipino talents. We need to develop our own industries to nurture talents. If properly motivated, the Filipino worker can do as well as any other,” Zara said.

 

Nissan used to be run by independent distributors, which included Universal Motors Corp. Nissan as a brand did have Filipino presidents before, but Zara—a mechanical engineer by profession who was previously based abroad—can be considered the first Filipino president of a Nissan subsidiary (Nissan Philippines).

 

Zara, who still gets amused every time people would ask him for discounts to a popular international boutique store that bears his surname, said that leading a car brand in the Philippines had always been his goal.

 

“I’ve always worked in the car industry. I have engine oil flowing through my blood. Seeing future models and getting a chance to test drive it is the most exciting thing one can experience. It’s like a kid seeing a toy he/she can’t have for a few more years. Every time I launch a new model, it feels like the birth of my second child.”

 

Lito German

 

Lito German’s biggest challenge when he joined BMW was simply how to keep pace.

 

“Prior to (joining BMW), I worked in environments where ‘rubber time’ and being 20 minutes late was expected, where work deadlines were often extended indefinitely, and where mediocre results were even tolerated. But now that I’m well versed in the BMW way, I can’t imagine how I got things done effectively in the past. As a Filipino working in a global organization, I strive to represent our people’s indomitable work ethic, free and fun-loving spirit, and strong moral ground,” said German.

 

German has just been appointed as the new regional director for BMW Motorrad, directly responsible for the overall management of the motorcycle importer business in East Asia. This is a new role, given the expansion of BMW Motorrad in this region. Prior to this appointment, German held the position of regional marketing director for BMW Asia. As his successor doesn’t come until Oct. 1, he’ll be filling both roles in the meantime.

 

Asked if he still cracks up every time a journalist asks about his surname, which coincidentally is his company’s home country, he replied: “My family name (which is Spanish in origin, actually) makes it so much easier for people to remember me and the company I work for. In fact, I can truthfully say that I am the one and only true ‘German’ in BMW. And after 11 years of working for BMW, you can imagine that I’ve heard all the same questions and quips regarding my name. And yet, I’m actually very pleased about the coincidence.”

 

German added that he is “quite proud that there are numerous Filipino executives who are doing extremely well in the global organization, including Sunny Medalla (based in Singapore), Doji Ferrer (based in China) and Jenny Berdijo (based in Munich),” German enumerated.

 

Sunny Medalla

 

Peter “Sunny” Medalla took over the position of head of MINI Asia on Aug. 1, covering the markets of Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and the growing markets of New Caledonia, Tahiti, Sri Lanka and Brunei.

 

“There will always be superiors with different cultural backgrounds who will give you a tough challenge. There were times, of course, you will question yourself and say ‘I don’t need this’ and want to take the easy way out by resigning and looking for a new job. That’s when the resilience of the Pinoy really stands out. We are flexible, and we always have that ‘never give up’ attitude. In short, as our Team Gilas cried out: ‘Puso! Laban lang.’ You will always come out of that difficult period a much stronger person,” quipped Medalla.

 

Medalla had been involved in the car industry since 1994. His first job was in New Car Dealer operations at Toyota Motor Philippines, under the mentorship of Socco. Medalla took up AB Management Economics at Ateneo de Manila and graduated in 1994. He said that on top of his college degree, his stint at Toyota “was a school of hard knocks.” After Toyota, Medalla worked for four years at Ford Group Philippines as corporate and fleet sales manager, and 9 years with BMW. He was sales director of BMW Philippines for three years, then vice president for sales of BMW Indonesia for five years, before heading MINI Asia.

 

Orlando Alvarez Jr.

 

What could be a better result of Orlando “Buboy” Alvarez Jr.’s rise to the top at Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. than the confidence of Japanese principals in local executives to handle the business?

 

As featured in Inquirer last year, Alvarez earned the confidence of Japanese principals, and this could be credited with his penchant for people empowerment. George Blaylock, the man behind Mitsubishi’s Diamond Group, was quoted as saying that “Alvarez is someone who is cool with people around him, believing in their respective capabilities. He handles situations both tough and easy very well, and his being a team player is probably the reason why he delivers the expected results.”

 

Alvarez made history last year when he became the first Filipino to be appointed as the executive vice president of MMPC, the highest position ever for a Filipino. As one source told Inquirer last year, that post made him, like Socco, one of the most powerful Filipinos in Japanese auto companies. Much of Alvarez’s training had been related to treasury and finance for almost 25 years of his career in MMPC.

 

“The automotive industry needs the help from the government to accelerate the growth being forecast to reach 500,000 units by 2020. It is very important that the current administration puts us in its priority list while our country is being considered by the global car producer for their expansion/investment ahead of our neighbor countries. I rather see our country export vehicles than continue sending talented professionals to other countries,” Alvarez told Inquirer Motoring.

 

Alvarez’s first job was with the Bank of the Philippine Islands right after college. He joined MMPC in 1980 as senior staff of the treasury division. He became SVP for the division in mid-2008, when the Japanese executives asked him to also head the marketing division. In February 2009, he was confirmed SVP for both the marketing and treasury divisions, the first Pinoy to achieve such a feat in MMPC. In July 2013, he was promoted as EVP for overall operations (marketing, treasury, manufacturing and administration).

 

Jesus Metelo Arias

 

Jesus Metelo Arias said that among the toughest challenges he faced in joining a global auto industry was the diverse cultures he had to deal with.

 

“I have worked in several countries, and with people from all over the world. I have to be sensitive to local cultures, work ethics and other unique traits of each nationality. It helped, not only me, but also my family to grow as global citizens. I also know that I carry a responsibility to show the different nationalities I meet the good work ethics, integrity, emotional resilience and excellence of Filipinos.”

 

Arias is currently the managing director of Ford Vietnam and the chair of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association.

 

Arias was the regional director of Ford Customer Service Division for Asean and Japan based in Bangkok from 2010 to May 2013.

 

His current positions entail not just overseeing operations in Vietnam, but also working with government officials in crafting policies that would shape the auto industry of the country. “The current auto industry in Vietnam is around 145,000. the policies we craft now will further help grow the industry to motorization in the coming years,” said Arias.

 

Added Arias: “There is no glass ceiling that limits the role you can have in the Ford organization. As long as you show your willingness to learn and the emotional resilience to achieve the organization’s objectives, the company will provide opportunities to enhance your skills and put you in roles to achieve your personal goals. We have a lot of Filipinos at Ford in different management roles in various countries like Thailand, China and the United States.”

 

Wini Camacho

 

Veteran auto designer Wini Camacho, who just moved back last month to the Mercedes Benz design headquarters in Sindelfingen, Germany, to re-assume his former position as senior exterior designer for production cars after completing a three-year assignment in China, said that the automotive design industry is dominated by people from highly developed countries with strong automotive industries.

 

“There are very pragmatic reasons behind this. Most companies don’t want to spend additional time and money to hire foreigners, especially those coming from Third World countries whose work permits and visas are more difficult (and costly) to process. Because of this, designers or aspiring designers from Third World countries face an uphill battle to get a position in one of the big car companies. Among designers from the host country, it’s already a highly competitive field to get into. There’s a lot more design graduates than there are positions available. One has to offer something extra, different and/or special.”

 

But what Pinoy traits does Camacho have that he credits for his current personal successes now?

 

“Being a Filipino exposed to the outside world, one of the things I’ve learned to live with is fighting on the back foot and/or playing catch-up. In a lot of situations, this can be a big disadvantage, but this is also what makes us Filipinos work harder and keeps us from being lax or satisfied with mediocrity. It’s this lifelong situation that transforms a lot of us into overachievers,” said Camacho.

 

Camacho’s passion for automotive design didn’t gather speed until he was already working in Hong Kong in the early 90s when he came across the magazine Car Styling.

 

“I’ve been with Mercedes-Benz Design for more than 15 years and it’s only in the past three to four years when it introduced its new design philosophy ‘Sensual Purity’ that my own personal design philosophy has finally aligned with it. I’ve been partly responsible for this shift to this new philosophy after pushing for it for years. I’ve always admired and aspired for the brand ever since I was little but now I’m truly at home and a big part of it,” he gushed.

 

Randy Rodriguez

 

For Randy Rodriguez, US-based Filipino designer of the iconic Nissan 370z, a Filipino must find his or her passion if he or she wants to make a lasting impression in the global automotive arena.

 

“It’s all about passion—passion to do the things you love. To my kababayans, designers or not, I urge you to find your own passion. Fuel it and share it. Follow your dreams, and to be truly happy in life, you should do what you love. Focus, work harder than everyone else, and don’t give up. Develop your skills and talent to increase your chances in life,” he told Inquirer Motoring.

 

The aircraft and car designer was the highlight of the Nissan booth during the 2012 Philippine International Motor Show. Based at Nissan Design America in California, he is recognized as one of the world’s foremost creative minds in automobile designs.

 

Rodriguez, who is in his mid-30s, studied at the Center for Creative Studies Detroit. Born and raised in Vancouver, he considers himself a Filipino by heart and heritage, with his parents both Filipinos. As a designer for Nissan, he has been able to spread Filipino creativity through the vehicles he designs.

 

“This is a very difficult job. There are lots of kids who want to be designers. It’s one thing to make it to school and go through the whole program. In a graduating class of 20, maybe only two or three of them will get a job in car design,” said Randy.

 

Anika Salceda-Wycoco

 

Anika Salceda Wycoco’s corporate journey from Manila to Michigan is no less inspiring. After completing her studies at the Brent International School and at the University of Asia and the Pacific, Anika worked for a year as integrated marketing communications manager for Publicis Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, and as supervising account manager for Eon for two years in Manila before moving to Ford Philippines from February 2009 to June 2013.

 

She rose from the ranks to become Ford Philippines’ assistant vice president for communications before being assigned to Ford Motor Company Thailand in July 2013.

 

She became Ford Motor Co.’s Asean communications manager from July 2013 to November 2013 in Thailand, before moving to Michigan to work with the communications and broadcast division of Ford Motor Co., where she is still based.

 

Her LinkedIn summary describes her as being “completely in love with marketing communications…branding…corporate reputation and all in between!” Her career experiences span product communications, corporate communications, crisis management, marketing communications, social media and events.

 

Nine Filipinos putting our nation on the global automotive map; there is certainly room for more of us at the top.

 

 

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