PICPA names SM Investments’ Jose Sio an honorary life member

Insider Spotlight

• PICPA confers Honorary Life Member status on SM Investments chair emeritus Jose T. Sio
• Recognition cites more than two decades of service and industry leadership
• Sio reflects on the profession’s role in business trust and growth
  
  

The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) has named SM Investments chair emeritus Jose T. Sio an honorary life member, recognizing his more than 20 years of dedicated service and wide-reaching contributions to the accounting profession.

Why it matters

PICPA’s distinction is reserved for CPAs whose leadership accelerates the profession’s relevance and integrity. The group cited Sio’s “outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions to the advancement of the profession and active involvement in various accounting and professional organizations.”

What he’s saying

“I am honored by this recognition from fellow professionals in the field. Accountancy plays a significant role in the growth and integrity of many Philippine businesses, helping build the trust and confidence of company stockholders. I am privileged to be part of organizations, like the SM group, that views the field as a crucial part of the company’s growth journey,” Sio said in a press release.

Jose T. Sio

Chair emeritus, SM Investments 

Zoom in

Sio’s career is marked by multiple top industry honors, including the Accountancy Centenary Award of Excellence in 2023 and the Parangal San Mateo in 2022, the profession’s highest distinction.

A native of Iloilo, he earned his Commerce degree majoring in Accounting from the University of San Agustin and later completed his MBA at New York University.

Between the lines

At SM Investments, he served as chief finance officer beginning in 1990 before becoming chair of the board in 2017. 

His CFO tenure drew regional acclaim, with awards from international publications and financial institutions, including recognitions from ING Bank, The Asset magazine, Finance Asia and a New York-based publication.

The big picture

As chair emeritus, Sio also holds key positions in major corporations including China Banking Corp., Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. and NLEX Corp. He serves as board adviser at BDO Unibank and leads SM Foundation as chair and president, while also supporting academia as trustee at Far Eastern University and Asia Pacific College.

What’s next

Sio’s role in SM Investments’ milestone public listing in 2005 — which became the country’s largest IPO for 15 years and helped propel the company to a P1 trillion market capitalization — remains a defining achievement that continues to shape the conglomerate’s growth trajectory.  — Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma