Teresita Sy-Coson

Teresita T. Sy–Coson (born 1950) is the eldest child of Philippines’ richest man and founder and Chairman of SM Prime Holdings, Henry Sy, Sr. Teresita is also the widow of ethnic Chinese lumber tycoon Louie Coson, whom she has three children with.

Early life

Teresita Sy-Coson was born in 1950.^[1] She graduated with the degree AB-BS Commerce major in Management from Assumption College.^[2]

Career

Sy-Coson is the Vice Chairperson of SM Investments Corporation (SMIC), one of the Philippines' largest publicly traded holding companies with interests in Retail, Banking, Property and Portfolio Investments.^[3]

She is concurrently the Chairperson of BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO), the Philippines' largest bank in terms of total resources, capital, loans, total deposits, and assets under management as of 31 December 2013.

Apart from these two key positions, Sy-Coson likewise holds key board and management positions in various subsidiaries and affiliates of BDO, and in the SM Group. These include BDO Private Bank, inc., BDO Leasing and Finance, Inc., BDO Capital & Investment Corporation, and BDO Foundation, Inc. For the SM Group side, she is an integral figure as an Adviser to the Board of SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

She is also a part of the three-member Philippine delegation to the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC), an organization formed in 2003 by the ASEAN leaders to provide private sector feedback and guidance to boost ASEAN's efforts towards economic integration.

Awards and recognition

Sy-Coson has been a recipient of various awards in recognition of her solid leadership in the banking and retail sectors.

Most recent of these notable recognition include:

• The Best Retail Banker of the Year awarded in 2012 by The Asian Banker
• Among the recipients of Asia's Best CEO Award in 2013 and 2014 from Corporate Governance Asia
• One of the recipients of the Asian Corporate Director Recognition Awards in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 from Corporate Governance Asia
• Listed in Fortune Magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in the World from 2001 to 2010 ^[4]
• Named in Forbes Asia's list of 50 Power Business Women in 2012, 2013 and 2014; ^[5]
• Recipient of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) President's Award in 2014.

References