“It is with a heavy heart that I share the sad news of Issa Guevarra-Cabreira’s passing,” said Globe CEO Ernest Cu in a message. “Issa, our former chief commercial officer, was a remarkable individual whose strength, courage, and grace inspired us all.”
From law to fast moving consumer goods
A graduate of B.S. Legal Management from the Ateneo de Manila University, Guevarra-Cabreira initially set her sights on being a lawyer.
“I was coming into my junior year and senior year, there were quite a bit of electives on marketing and brand management. Those stole my heart away, much to the dismay of my mother,” she said in a previous interview.
After graduation, she immediately took on brand management roles in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, beginning with Alaska Milk Corp. then moving on to Kraft Foods Philippines, now Mondelez, as category marketing manager with oversight over Tang, MaxwellHouse, and Kool-Aid, all household names.
“During my time, the gold standard was for fresh grads to go to an FMCG and then become a brand manager,” said Guevarra-Cabreira, who would later enroll in an Executive Programme at the International Institute for Management Development or IMD.
Answering the call
Not wanting to be a peripatetic expatriate in the FMCG industry as she was then raising a small child, Guevarra-Cabreira, after “seeing the excitement in the telco industry,” said “I want to be part of it.”
Her big break came when she joined Globe Telecom, first as head of PostPaid, where she led the launch of the iPhone in the Philippines in 2008 which was exclusive to Globe.
“The entire experience of working with the iconic Apple organization was surreal—from negotiating the deal with their executives in their Cupertino headquarters to collaborating with their marketing team,” said Guevarra-Cabreira in an interview with Josiah Go of Mansmith and Fielders. “It was amazing to see the rigor and discipline they had.”
From there, she would take on other strategic posts at Globe, including leading the TM business unit, which became the country’s No.1 mobile brand in terms of subscriber base under her stewardship, championing “the power of connectivity to the Filipino masses.” She also headed the Globe Prepaid portfolio before ultimately being entrusted with overseeing the entire mobile business.
“First and foremost, the customer is our north star,” she further said in the same interview. “By always beginning with customer insight, we are able to prioritize customer experience and identify innovation opportunities that are aligned with—or build upon—our existing business models.”
Establishing 917 Ventures
In 2019, when Globe established 917 Ventures, the company’s corporate incubator arm, Guevarra-Cabreira offered to take the lead. “I told Ernest (Cu, Globe CEO), ‘Let me set it up because I want to continue the journey of customers beyond mobile data.’”
With Guevarra-Cabreira at the helm, subsidiaries like mobile payments service GCash and KonsultaMD, a healthcare aggregator app, experienced tremendous growth, more so during the pandemic as more Filipinos availed themselves of their payments and telehealth services.
Globe’s first female CCO
She would go on to make history as Globe’s first female chief commercial officer (CCO) in 2021, succeeding Albert de Larrazabal who was seconded to the parent company, Ayala Corp., as chief finance officer.
Said Guevarra-Cabreira in a statement:
“I am humbled, honored and excited to take on this role. At the heart of what we do are our customers. We want to provide them with products and services that not only enhance their overall connectivity experience, but more importantly uplift and enrich their lives.”
Early this year, after three years as CCO, she transitioned into the role of leadership development advisor reporting to the chief human resources officer.
Being present with loved ones
In an article featuring Globe’s Women Leaders, Guevarra-Cabreira emphasized the importance of being present with loved ones, “spending those precious hours with my sons,” as it helps her recharge for the week ahead. “To me, that’s having a clear mind, seeing what’s most important right in front of me.”
“As a loving mom of two and a true leader, she leaves behind a profound legacy of kindness, leadership, and love,” said Cu.
Features Reporter
