MASTER ENTREPRENEUR CATEGORY

GIL G. CHUA

Group Chairman & CEO

DDB GROUP PHILIPPINES

Professional & Business Services

www.ddb.com.ph

Information about the Entrepreneur

An esteemed business leader with nearly five decades of track record in the advertising industry, DDB Group Philippines’ Group Chairman and CEO, Mr. Gil G. Chua, has helped elevate the industry to one that focuses more on creating valuable innovative, and creative business solutions. The group, henceforth referred to as DDB Philippines, works to build brand equity, grow the businesses of clients, and provide meaningful job opportunities to Filipinos.

Mr. Gil is known for his ability to build trusting relationships, driven by his commitment to address client needs and deliver the most positive business results grounded by his scholastic background in business economics. Under his leadership, the group’s business in the Philippines grew exponentially, strategically forming the first integrated marketing communication group in the country that caters to a powerhouse roster of local and regional accounts.

As a young child growing up in the island paradise of Virac, Catanduanes, Mr. Gil developed a deep love for nature and a clean environment. Wishing the same life for the future generations of Filipinos, his first advocacy campaign for Nestle Philippines taught adults to be better examples for the youth especially when it comes to taking care of the environment and keeping the surroundings clean.

As the majority owner, President, and CEO, he founded DDB Cares, the group's corporate social responsibility arm, to pursue his environmental advocacy as well as causes that involve youths, women, and children, among others.

Other Interesting Facts about the Entrepreneur

With Mr. Gil's business acumen, what used to be 28 employees grew to over 200 people working at DDB Philippines' core business units that are engaged in different aspects of marketing communications. The group also expanded into business solutions firms that now operate in 24 offices nationwide, employing over 5,000 people.

Indeed, through DDB Philippines and his other companies, Mr. Gil has provided his fellow Filipinos with decent jobs and inclusive opportunities to better their lives, while significantly contributing to the country's economic growth.

“There is no greater honor than to be able to help others live well while inspiring them to realize and achieve their life potential while contributing to the nation's economic growth,” he said.

Big hearts and big ideas make a great combination. We give back through our work and our people.

Company Achievements and
Role of the Entrepreneur

As DDB Philippines' Group Chairman and CEO, Mr. Gil provides overall leadership and direction to the group. He constantly rallies his teams to anticipate client needs and offer creative and out-of-the-box solutions to the latter's business challenges while producing campaigns that matter.

DDB Philippines has been effectively delivering creative solutions not only to help brands achieve their marketing objectives but also to help solve society's problems. He is also consistently looking after the group's people, product, and profit in that order.

The group's business expansion continued with new clients providing fresh revenue streams on top of organic revenue growth from existing clients. Its employees, meanwhile, remain committed to contributing to the growth of the group as shown in their high engagement scores. In fact, the agency group has not only received awards in the creative field but also in human resources management.

Leading by example, Mr. Gil G. Chua constantly encourages the DDB Philippines teams to always be committed to continuing the agency group's journey of innovation and excellence, serving both long-standing partners and new clients with unwavering dedication.

All these have been key in maintaining and even expanding relationships with the group's long-time and biggest clients to date. Furthermore, these produce a formidable track record that helps win new business pitches and campaign bids. In fact, Gil ensures the group is diligent when it comes to pitching for new business.

As a result, DDB Philippines has once again demonstrated its excellent performance in the industry, ranking 1st in the 2023 Philippines New Business League published by R3 Worldwide, a reputable international organization that provides critical insights into global industry trends and performances.

DDB Philippines outshone 29 leading creative and digital agencies across the Philippines, proving once more its consistent ability to translate its culture into industry recognition and substantial business growth. This achievement marks the third consecutive year that DDB Group led the country in new business wins.

Vision, Mission & Future Plans

Towards fulfilling DDB Philippines' vision of becoming an indispensable creative partner that delivers a positive impact to its people, its clients, and society in general, Mr. Gil constantly underscores the importance of producing creative ideas and business solutions that contribute to a client’s business growth as well as to the group's success.

Investing in the best talents and innovations, Mr. Gil catapulted the group to becoming one of the country’s most successful IMC groups that is able to innovate and quickly pivot to adapt to all types of shifts in the business environment. The group's focus remains on evolving its strategies to meet and exceed expectations, thereby ensuring sustained success.

DDB Philippines’ subsidiary companies work together to achieve their goals – be it executing groundbreaking campaigns, reaching business targets, or winning awards or new accounts. As Gil loves to say, "All of us are better than one of us".

Furthermore, he has always emphasized the importance of welcoming and adapting to change and creating value out of it, especially the disruptive kind.

He always says, "Growth is the sign of life and change is always constant".

To thrive, one must always be ready for change. This mindset is what drives DDB Philippines’ innovative spirit, bringing the group far in its journey to harness creativity to solve client business challenges and generate sustainable profits for the group.