Ligones will report directly to Mark Micallef, managing director for Southeast Asia, who oversees the company’s enterprise, public sector, and corporate business segments in the region.
In her new role, Ligones is expected to accelerate Google Cloud’s collaboration with Filipino organizations to drive digital transformation through enterprise-grade, AI-powered cloud solutions.
Growing the Cloud team and partner ecosystem
She brings over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, having served in leadership roles at SAP, SAS, and IBM before founding Third Pillar in 2013. As president and CEO of Third Pillar, Ligones spearheaded digital initiatives for over 100 companies in the Philippines.
“Jennifer joins us at an exciting phase of Google Cloud’s growth in the Philippines,” said Micallef. “With her strong business acumen and passion for growth, she will be instrumental in advancing our partnerships with the public and private sectors, especially as the country’s digital economy is projected to reach up to $150 billion by 2030.”
Ligones said she is focused on expanding Google Cloud’s local team and partner ecosystem. “Our goal is to drive deeper adoption of our AI innovation stack—from supercomputing systems for cost-effective AI inference, to generative models like Gemini, to tools for building secure, interoperable AI agents,” she said.
Deliver next-gen digital services
She also emphasized the role of upskilling through programs such as Google Cloud Skills Boost to help Filipino organizations deliver next-gen digital services.
The announcement follows a series of major developments from Google Cloud, including the launch of Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Veo 3 models on Vertex AI; the open-sourcing of the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol via the Linux Foundation; and a new generative AI certification for non-technical professionals.
Customers in the cloud
Google Cloud’s growing customer base in the Philippines includes Alfamart, Chooks-to-Go, FWD Insurance, Globe Telecom, Kumu, PLDT, SM Supermalls, Primer Group, Tonik Bank, ZALORA, St. Luke's Medical Center, and government agencies such as the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The company has also pledged support for the government’s National AI Strategy for the Philippines (NAIS-PH), positioning itself as a key partner in national digital transformation. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
