Singapore, 17 July 2025 – The 3rd DigitalCFO Asia Philippines Symposium 2025 gathered more than senior finance leaders, digital strategists, and transformation experts for a full-day dialogue on the future of finance in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies. Held at the Grand Hyatt Manila, the symposium presented a robust, future-focused agenda centred on AI innovation, ESG integration, human capital transformation, and strategic leadership amid global uncertainty. Proudly sponsored by SAP, with strong support from CloudTech, Oracle NetSuite, Ogis Philippines, and Mindsprint, the event underscored the CFO’s expanding role as a strategic driver of innovation, agility, and long-term business sustainability.
Turning Vision into Value: Opening Keynote and Technology Spotlight 1
The day began with an energising welcome address from Ryan Kwa, Group Publisher and Managing Director at DigitalNow Asia, setting the tone for a day of strategic foresight and peer learning. The opening keynote by Jared Valarao, Founder and CEO of Practical Finance Solutions, framed the CFO not just as a steward of capital but as a visionary capable of turning insights into impact. His session, “The Visionary CFO: Turning Vision into Value in a Digital Age”, challenged finance leaders to reimagine their roles through the lens of real-time data, cross-functional influence, and innovation-led growth.
In Technology Spotlight 1, Randall Rey Yu, Global Hub Lead, Office of the CFO, Global Solution Advisory at SAP Southeast Asia, spotlighted the CFO’s strategic shift in an AI-First enterprise. He illustrated how intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and real-time risk visibility are becoming foundational capabilities for modern finance organisations.
Navigating Disruption: Panel Discussion 1, Tech Spotlight 2 & Fireside Chat 1
The morning continued with Panel Discussion 1, “Strategic Visionaries: Driving Business Transformations”, where finance leaders dissected how CFOs in the Philippines are adapting to digital disruption, policy volatility, and growth imperatives. Featuring Fortune Ernest Jose, CFO, Enderun Colleges; Gaurav Dass, Country CFO, Novartis Philippines; Raymund Berja, Senior VP and CFO, PHINMA Construction Materials Group; and Maryknoll Zamora, Chairperson, Brookfield College, and moderated by Tinette Cortes, CEO of Consultasia Global, the panel highlighted strategic alignment, agile budgeting, and stronger C-suite collaboration as key success factors.
Next, Technology Spotlight 2, delivered by Jenny Rose Buenavista, Solutions Consulting Manager at CloudTech, explored the traits of the future-ready CFO. She outlined how digital finance maturity, powered by platform integration and intelligent forecasting, is no longer optional but essential for competitive advantage.
In Fireside Chat 1, Jef Lacson, CFO of UnionDigital Bank, and Connie Flores, Head of Finance Solar Trade SEA & Australia at BayWa r.e. APAC, discussed the twin imperatives of cost optimisation and risk mitigation. Moderated by Renee Tirones-Patacsil, Managing Director of Finnix Consultancy, the session called attention to how finance functions can maintain growth while building operational resilience in a volatile macroeconomic landscape.
The morning concluded with a compelling Technology Spotlight 3 by Sudev Nambudiri, Senior Vice President at Mindsprint, titled “Agentic AI and the Finance Function: Disrupt or Be Disrupted.” He highlighted the rise of autonomous decision-making systems and urged CFOs to embrace full-function transformation: “It’s time to rewire, not just automate.”
Future-Proofing Finance: Afternoon Keynote, ESG & Human Capital
After a high-energy networking lunch, the spotlight returned to Renee Tirones-Patacsil for the Afternoon Keynote, where she outlined what it takes to future-proof finance in an age marked by regulatory reform, digital acceleration, and stakeholder expectations. Her address called on CFOs to lead with both technical mastery and purpose-driven stewardship.
In Fireside Chat 2, Frederick Pineda, CFO at Malayan Insurance, and Franc Ramon, Group Financial Controller at Medtecs Group, discussed how ESG performance is increasingly tied to enterprise value. Moderated by Mike San Diego, CFO at EON Group, the panel tackled materiality assessments, stakeholder reporting, and aligning ESG with investment strategies.
Followed by the second Panel Discussion, focused on the human capital imperative. As automation accelerates and skill gaps widen, speakers Perdasille Carlos-Mesina, SVP & Shared Services at Filinvest Business Services Corporation; Whilczel Canlas, AVP Group Controller, Roxas Holdings; Dexter Moya, Group CFO at Global Comfort Group; and Joy Martinez Abot, AVP Finance at Goldilocks Bakeshop, moderated by Katrina Llegado, Co-Founder & CFO at Clocheflame, explored how CFOs can foster adaptive, inclusive, and digitally fluent finance teams.
Resilience at Scale: Global Strategy and AI ROI Deep Dives
Panel Discussion 3, “Strategic Finance Amid Global Power Shifts,” brought macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty into focus. Moderated by Jared Valarao, Founder and CEO, Practical Finance Solutions, the session featured Clarinda Quisao, CFO at GlobalNet Solutions; Hazel Nunes, CoE Accounting Lead at Fresenius Medical Care PH; Mike San Diego, CFO at EON Group; and Mikhail Salinas, Finance Director/Controller at Analog Devices Inc. Speakers discussed how trade tensions, shifting supply chains, and investment risks are compelling CFOs to rethink traditional financial models.
The day’s final session, Panel Discussion 4, was a deep dive into AI implementation and ROI. Speakers Franklin Vibar, CITO at Asian Hospital & Medical Centre; Shomit Goel, Head of Commercial Finance at Home Credit Philippines; Joselito Diga, CFO at United Laboratories Inc; and Raghvendra Tripathi, SVP & Client Partner at Mindsprint, led by moderator Ouida Montesclaros, Senior Director, Global Finance at ADP, offered practical frameworks for evaluating, scaling, and governing AI initiatives—without compromising fiscal accountability.
Celebrating Leadership, Community & Innovation
The event concluded on a high note with closing remarks from the DigitalCFO Asia team, a vibrant networking cocktail, and a lucky draw that celebrated the day’s energy and participation. Attendees departed with renewed clarity, strategic tools, and an expanded professional network, ready to lead their organisations with greater foresight and confidence.
Stay Connected: More to Come in 2025
As we conclude another milestone symposium, we extend our deepest thanks to our speakers, sponsors, moderators, and attendees who made this event a resounding success. DigitalCFO Asia continues to be your platform for forward-thinking finance leadership across Asia.
Explore what’s next in our series and discover the full DigitalCFO Asia Symposium Series 2025.
