Digital expert Donald Lim poised to guide MAP’s future direction

Insider Spotlight

• Earlier this month, MAP tapped Donald Lim to steer the business group into the digital era
• His cross-sector background seen as crucial to MAP’s future agenda
• Lim’s tech advocacy aligns with the organization’s evolving priorities

Donald Lim’s election as the 78th president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) for 2026 highlights a strategic choice: the organization is placing its bets on a leader whose career has been defined by digital transformation, institutional building, and cross-sector collaboration.  

Why it matters

As Philippine businesses confront rapid shifts in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data governance, and digital competitiveness, MAP needs a leader who understands emerging technologies and has a track record of operationalizing them across industries.

Builder of digital institutions

Lim helped shape the country’s digital landscape by founding three key councils:

• Blockchain Council of the Philippines
• Cybersecurity Council of the Philippines
• Global AI Council Philippines

These bodies bridge government, industry, and academe—mirroring MAP’s multi-sector mandate—and position him to mobilize stakeholders around national digital priorities.

Donald Lim

The incoming MAP chief is an expert in digital technology.

Leader across sectors

Over two decades, Lim has moved through corporate management, entrepreneurship, academia, public advocacy, and even military service. This exposure allows him to understand the challenges of businesses of all sizes—from traditional conglomerates to tech-driven enterprises—while grounding policy discussions in practical, operational realities.

Thought leadership as a roadmap

His books "Cybersecurity Unmasked, Blockchain Unlocked," and the upcoming "AI Unleashed" demonstrate his commitment to fostering an ethically responsible digital society. As MAP increasingly engages in policy conversations around innovation and governance, Lim’s ability to translate complex technologies into actionable frameworks becomes an asset.

Corporate experience driving business relevance

As president of DITO CME Holdings, an investment company in telecommunications, media, and technology, Lim brings insight into sectors shaping the country’s economic trajectory. This strengthens MAP’s ability to respond to market shifts and guide its members through industry disruption.

MAP's 2026 team

Other members of MAP’s 2026 Board of Governors include Marianne Hontiveros, managing director of CEO Advisors Inc., as vice president; Wilson Tan, chair of SGV & Co., as treasurer; Paolo Borromeo, president and CEO of AC Health, as assistant treasurer; and Gil Genio, independent director of GT Capital Holdings, as secretary.

Rounding out the incoming board are former Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III, vice chair of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc.; former Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, chair of SKAL Makati International; Maria Theresa Marcial, president and CEO of BPI Asset Management and Trust Corp.; and Michael Toledo, director for government and public affairs at Metro Pacific Investments Corp. — Daxim L. Lucas | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma