Insider Spotlight
Why it matters
The award, one of the country’s most prestigious business honors, recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional distinction in management and contributed significantly to national progress. The distinction has only been conferred 49 times in the six-decade history of the MAP.
The big picture
Sy, the chair of the executive committee of property developer SM Prime Holdings, was recognized for his “lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, social inclusion, good governance and resilience (ESG+R), establishing SM Prime as a benchmark for sustainable and resilient urban development.”
MAP cited his “people-centered leadership and diversity,” for fostering “a corporate culture that promotes employee welfare, professional development and work-life balance, while building an organization that exemplifies the UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles.”
He was also lauded for “spearheading innovative and sustainable retail development which continuously provides growth opportunities for MSMEs, local government units, and the communities where SM malls operate.”
The association noted Sy’s role in shaping “global and local guidance on integrating disaster risk reduction into core business strategies by representing the Philippines in the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and by founding ARISE Philippines.”
Beyond business
MAP also cited his “broadening access to quality education and athletic excellence by nurturing the National University (NU) and supporting other broad-based initiatives that shape future generations,” and his personal support for “vulnerable children through Child Haus, which provides critical healthcare and hope to indigent children with cancer.”
The Sy legacy
Hans Sy joins Henry Sy Sr. (1999) and Teresita Sy-Coson (2016) as previous MAP Management Person of the Year honorees, placing the Sy family alongside the Zobel family, which counts Jaime Zobel de Ayala (1987), Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (2006), and Fernando Zobel de Ayala (2018) among its awardees.
The conferment ceremony will be held on November 24, 2025.
The MAP said the award continues to honor leaders “who are exemplary models deserving of emulation by their peers and by the younger generation of managers.”
— Edited by Daxim L. Lucas
