A key player in several group firms through board seats in PLDT, Metro Pacific Investments, and Manila Electric Co., he’s added a directorship in the fast-growing Maya Bank.
Espinosa recently left Roxas Holdings, but this move is simply to make way for new roles and comply with directorship limits in listed firms, an insider shared.
In any case, he joins the financial powerhouse backed by PLDT and China’s Tencent at a pivotal time for the digital bank, chaired by Al Panlilio.
Maya Bank is fueling the privately-held fintech’s growth, with its valuation rising as it makes deeper inroads into the banking sector.
Espinosa’s entry also comes at an interesting period, as PLDT considers restructuring its holdings in Maya, which appears on track for its first profitable year in 2025.
An opportunity could be opening up with reports that KKR, one of Maya’s earliest major backers from its PayMaya days in 2018, is in talks to sell its substantial stake of over 20 percent.
Insiders hinted at strategic differences within the Maya boardroom, making KKR’s potential exit, roughly seven years after investing, a well-timed move.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
