The listed builder named chief operating officer Jose Franco Soberano as president and CEO, while the elder Soberano remains executive chairman and chair of the executive committee.
“This transition reflects years of deliberate preparation and a shared commitment to ensuring Cebu Landmasters remains strong for generations to come,” Jose Soberano III said.
“Franco has played a critical role in shaping the company we are today and is well positioned to lead CLI through its next stage of growth,” he added.
Growth beyond VisMin
The succession comes as Cebu Landmasters expands beyond its Visayas and Mindanao roots, with plans for its first residential mixed-use project in Pasig and a future township on a 70-hectare property in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
Founded in Cebu in 2003, the company now has a presence across 21 cities and municipalities with more than 132 projects in various stages of development.
Board refresh
The board also elected governance veteran Leonardo “Jun” Cuaresma Jr. as independent director, replacing Aurora Geotina-Garcia after she completed her allowable term under Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
A former managing partner and chief operating officer of P&A Grant Thornton, Cuaresma brings audit, accounting and governance expertise as Cebu Landmasters strengthens its board alongside the leadership transition.
“As our chairman has expressed his trust in the next generation of leadership, I humbly accept this responsibility with the deepest gratitude and with the highest respect for the legacy that Chairman Joe Soberano has built,” Franco Soberano said.
“As we build the CLI of the future, I call on our 1,500-strong organization to lean on the momentum we’ve built for many years and on the back of our renewed vision-mission to be masterful, resilient and yet very generous in our efforts,” he added.
Record sales momentum
The handover follows a record year, with reservation sales rising 45 percent to P24.6 billion in 2025 while consolidated revenues reached P18.5 billion.
Management said Franco helped expand the company’s geographic reach, strengthen its project portfolio and advance strategic initiatives that reinforced Cebu Landmasters’ leadership in Visayas and Mindanao.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
