Graduating with honors from the Harvard University in 1981 and earning an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1987, Zobel’s strategic leadership as a 7th generation family member at the helm of the country's oldest conglomerate allowed for the transformation of Ayala into a dynamic and sustainable global enterprise with diverse interests ranging from real estate, banking, telecommunications, energy, healthcare, industrial technologies, among others.
“Dr. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala's unwavering dedication to innovation, corporate governance, and social responsibility serves as an inspiration to current and future business leaders,” said AIM president and dean, Jikyeong Kang PhD. ”His achievements pave the path towards impactful leadership, the very essence of what AIM strives to instill in our graduates.”
Joining Ayala Corp.
“They (referring to his two sons) came from Harvard, very well-read and very well-trained,” says Jaime Zobel de Ayala, or JZA, chair emeritus of Ayala Corporation and father of Jaime Augusto, in a 2006 video produced by the company. “But they had to prove their worth (while working at the family business).”
In fact, the elder Zobel admits that his two sons initially didn't want to work at Ayala.
“I've given them too much independence; I think I'm losing them,” he reveals candidly in the video. He called them back, asked them to choose their field, and encouraged them to discover what Ayala was all about.
Jaime Augusto — after a stint as an analyst in the planning division right after college in 1981, as well as “a year of moving around Ayala” — chose to work for Purefoods, then part of the Ayala Group's portfolio.
“I started with Purefoods in operations and ended up running the export tuna canning division,” he shared in an interview with the Harvard Business Review. “I think the best part of my experience was running an independent operation, with my own small profit and loss responsibility, within Purefoods — it was challenging and engaging.”
After earning his MBA from Harvard in 1987, Zobel was assigned bigger responsibilities. He first joined the corporate planning department, became president and CEO in 1995, chair and CEO in 2006, and chairman of the board in 2021.
Choices and consequences
In addressing AIM's 2024 graduating class, Zobel centered his speech on the theme of choices and consequences.
“We all make choices every day — some trivial, many meaningful. They shape who we are and the society we live in,” he shared, urging graduates to embrace purposeful decision-making in their careers. “Choose to prioritize the most meaningful and most impactful.”
In stressing the importance of choosing people well and investing in relationships, Zobel remarked, “Our teams, and those that we work with, are the critical components of success.”
He encouraged the graduating class to surround themselves with individuals who offer diverse perspectives, provide support, and inspire growth, drawing from his own experience as a business leader.
Zobel also reflected on the deep-rooted ties between Ayala and AIM, recalling the pivotal role the conglomerate played in the institute’s founding with a land donation. The Zobel family donated in 1968 the one-hectare site where AIM stands, with the Eugenio Lopez Foundation funding the main building.
“AIM was not part of Makati’s original plan,” he recounted, “However, it was decided that Makati should house what would become Asia’s pioneering graduate school for business.”
Zobel, in addition to his roles at Ayala Corporation, contributes his expertise to the Makati Business Club, World Wildlife Fund, and international institutions like Temasek Holdings, JP Morgan International Council, JP Morgan Asian Pacific Council, and Mitsubishi Corporation International Advisory Council.
He is recognized as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) pioneer from the Philippines and is one of the 10 global leaders honored for advancing sustainability and promoting the 17 SDGs in business.
Features Reporter
