Augusto Leon Araneta Macatangay, Partner, Siguion Reyna, Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Offices.

Leo has over 15 years of experience in corporate and commercial law. He has a broad knowledge of Philippine policies, regulations, and business practices. He has counseled some of the biggest companies in the Philippines including various governmental agencies such as the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. He has extensive experience in syndicated loans, restructuring proceedings, mergers and acquisitions, and joint venture agreements. He represented clients in administrative, civil and criminal proceedings involving contractual disputes, intra-corporate controversies, and regulatory disputes. As corporate secretary, member of the board of directors, or as a consultant, he regularly advises individuals and corporations involved in real estate, construction, sugar production, technology, power, logistics, education, retail, manufacturing, media and wellness.

Maria Caterina Cristina R. Lopa, Partner, Siguion Reyna, Montecillo, and Ongsiako Law Office

Atty. Maria Caterina Cristina R. Lopa is a Partner at Siguion Reyna, Montecillo, and Ongsiako Law Office where she has been practicing law since 2016. As part of a full-service firm, she has dabbled in virtually all practice areas. She has handled several due diligence projects with particular emphasis on regulatory compliance for both local and cross-border transactions.

Rogelio D. Torres Jr., Partner, Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia

Rogelio has been in the practice of law in the Philippines for almost 20 years with significant experience in dispute prevention and resolution; labor and employment, including assisting corporations in collective bargaining issues and advising clients’ human resource department personnel in handling policies relating to labor standards as well as dismissal-related issues and proceedings; banking, energy and mining litigation; and corporate practice including compliance with Anti-Money Laundering laws and rules and policies. At present a member of the Management Committee as well as the Deputy Partner-in-Charge for Non-Legal Personnel overseeing the Human Resource Department of Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia. Appointed as an Investigating Commissioner for the Commission on Bar Discipline since 2019 until the present, and was awarded as one of the Outstanding Commissioners in 2022.

Jennifer T. Ong, Partner, Subido Pagente Certeza Mendoza & Binay Law Offices

Jennifer graduated from Ateneo de Manila University in 2003 with a Legal Management degree and obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines in 2007. She placed 2nd in the 2007 Philippine Bar Examinations. At present, she is a Partner in the Corporate and Special Projects Department of Subido Pagente Certeza Mendoza & Binay Law Offices. She specializes in special projects, corporate financing and secured lending, deal structuring, commercial transactions and contracts, contract review and negotiation, joint ventures and M&A including due diligence, as well as public-private partnerships, which she has undertaken for local and foreign clients.

Ari Singzon, Registered Foreign Lawyer (New York), Milbank

Ari regularly advises corporates, financial institutions, sponsors, lenders, and foreign and financial investors across equity and debt capital markets, cross-border mergers & acquisitions, private credit, and project finance matters, with particular focus on Asia and the Philippines. He has worked on matters across diverse sectors including power, energy and infrastructure, TMT, data centers, logistics, banking and finance, real estate, retail, and aviation. His experience in the Philippines includes advising clients such as Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc., AC Energy, Aboitiz Power, Citicore, Actis, MPIC, Metrobank, MDI, Fast Logistics, Seaoil, PLDT, Globe Telecom, and Converge, to name a few.

Charmaine Yeo, Senior Associate, Milbank

Charmaine Yeo’s practice focuses on advising leading private equity firms, financial investors and corporations on cross-border mergers & acquisitions and private equity matters. Her experience spans a wide range of sectors including retail, real estate, technology and power and energy. Charmaine’s recent experience includes advising Philippine clients such as Globe Telecom and PLDT. She also advises private equity clients including firms such as CVC Capital Partners, Blackstone and Actis, on a variety of corporate transactions.

Alfredo L. Bentulan Jr., Prosecutor II, Department of Justice

Alfredo Bentulan Jr. is a trial attorney with over a decade of experience in government administration. Currently, he holds the position of Prosecutor II in the National Prosecution Service of the Department of Justice. Before joining the DOJ, Alfredo worked as Section Chief of the Legal Division in Revenue Region 9B of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In 2019, he was honored as the Top Action Lawyer by BIR Revenue Region 9A. During law school, Alfredo served as a Graft Investigator in the Office of the Ombudsman and passed the examination for Certified Fraud Examiners during his tenure.

Anna Bianca Torres Wong, Legal Director, Kenvue Philippines

Anna Bianca Torres Wong serves as Legal Director at Kenvue Philippines (formerly J&J Consumer Health), where she sits on the Philippines-Indonesia Leadership Team, overseeing legal matters for Kenvue’s Philippines-Indonesia Subcluster. She has been in this role since January 2023, following Kenvue’s separation from Johnson & Johnson as a standalone Consumer Healthcare Company. From February to December 2022, she was the Legal Director for Johnson & Johnson (Philippines) Inc., where she covered J&J’s cross-sector consumer health, pharmaceutical and medical device industries in the Philippines. With a wealth of experience, Bianca has held significant roles including Legal Affairs Director, Data Privacy Champion, and Corporate Secretary at Wyeth Nutrition Philippines from April 2019 to January 2022, while concurrently acting as Vice-President and Corporate Secretary for Nestlé Philippines where she began her in house career in May 2011. She began her legal career as an underbar at PJS Law in January 2007, where she was eventually promoted to Senior Associate before she moved in-house. Bianca’s expertise covers Corporate and Commercial Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Competition Law, Regulatory Law, Intellectual Property, and Information Technology. She was admitted to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in 2007, and she is also a certified professional coach, trained by Benchmark Consulting and having received her Coaching Certificate in 202. Bianca holds a degree in BS Management Engineering with a Minor in Marketing from the Ateneo De Manila University and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of the Philippines, where she was a consistent member of the UP Law Honor Society.

Eunice Monsod, Chief Compliance Officer, Salmon Group Ltd and Non-Executive Director, Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), Inc.

Eunice Monsod is an Atenean lawyer with an Economics degree from UP Diliman. She concurrently serves as Group Chief Compliance Officer at Salmon Group Ltd and as a Non-Executive Director for the group's newly-acquired Bank, Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), Inc. With extensive experience in financial compliance, she has held roles such as Head of Compliance at FWD, Vice President for AML/CFT at Metrobank, and Vice President for Regulatory Affairs at RCBC. Eunice is an ACAMS Certified AML Specialist, ICA Certified International Compliance Specialist, and TIFP Certified Trust Operations and Investment Management Officer, highlighting her commitment to excellence in financial compliance and risk management.

Jai Tamayo, Chief Governance and People, Terrarosa Cosmetics Corporation and General Counsel, Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions (CURMA)

Jai is the Chief Governance and People Officer at Terrarosa Cosmetics Corporation, where he leads key initiatives across legal, compliance, People and Culture, QA, and ESG functions. With extensive experience in corporate governance and HR, he ensures regulatory compliance and operational efficiency while fostering a collaborative and innovative workplace culture. In addition to his role, Jai serves as General Counsel for Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions (CURMA), a non-profit focused on environmental conservation. He has held senior legal positions in the cosmetics, food, insurance, and digital sports sectors, bringing a wealth of strategic and legal expertise.

Jane Catherine Rojo Tiu, Chief Legal, Compliance, and Risk Officer; Data Protection Officer; Deputy ESG Lead, Metro Pacific Health

Jane Catherine Rojo Tiu holds a Juris Doctor degree from Ateneo Law School and a BA in Mass Communications from the University of the Philippines - Cebu. She has built her career with the MVP Group, serving as Group Legal Counsel at Metro Pacific Investments Corporation. Currently, she is the Chief Legal, Compliance, and Risk Officer of Metro Pacific Health, the largest private hospital network in the Philippines. She also serves as the Data Protection Officer and Deputy ESG Officer for the MPH group.

Jazel Calvo-Carino, Legal Director, Sanofi Philippines

Atty Jazel Calvo-Cariño is currently the Legal Director for Sanofi Philippines, with over 19 years experience in Corporate, Banking and Pharmaceutical Law. She acts as business partner to the ethical products and vaccines business units in the Philippines as well as the manufacturing plants based in Singapore. She manages all legal affairs of the Philippine affiliate and sits as a member of the country management committee to participate in strategic risk assessment. Before joining Sanofi, Jazel started her career in a corporate law firm, before shifting in-house as a banking lawyer for Deutsche Bank AG then Macquarie Group. Jazel has an undergraduate degree in Social Sciences, major in Sociology. She graduated in 2001 and went straight to Ateneo Law School, where she completed her Juris Doctor in 2005 and was admitted to the bar in 2006.

Jeifan- Ira Dizon, Head, Legal (Philippines), EdgePoint Infrastructure

Jeifan-Ira is a lawyer with 15 years post-qualification experience, presently leading the legal team at EdgePoint Towers Inc. Previously, she held roles in Grab Philippines, Zenrooms, Puno Law, and Cochingyan Law, and has served in the public sector in the House of Representatives, Office of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. She graduated from the University of the Philippines, Juris Doctor and BA Speech Communication. 

Jennifer Ngai, Assistant General Counsel, Asian Development Bank

Jennifer Ngai serves as the Assistant General Counsel overseeing institutional and administrative legal matters at Asian Development Bank (ADB). Ms Ngai joined ADB to pursue a career in international development, and held roles as project counsel and senior advisor to management at ADB before her current role. Prior to ADB, she specialized in structured finance and capital markets transactions at Linklaters, a leading international law firm, in London and New York. Ms Ngai held a law degree from University of Cambridge, UK and Master’s degree in International Relations and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University. She is a qualified lawyer in the state of New York, US; England and Wales; and Hong Kong, China.

Jo-Anne Legaspi, First Vice-President, Legal Services Group Head, Philippine Bank of Communications

Jo-Anne has more than 15 years of legal experience in a general counsel capacity, with experience in the banking, finance, real estate, retail, and service sectors. Previously, she served as the General Counsel for McDonald’s Philippines, where she was engaged in the business operations and managed all legal matters for nearly 800 branches nationwide. In 2020, she shifted to the banking and finance industry, assuming the position of Head of the Legal Services Group at PBCOM, where she oversees the advisory and litigation divisions for the bank and its subsidiaries. She was included in The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Philippines as a leading in-house counsel, and the PBCOM Legal Team was also recognized in The Legal 500: GC Powerlist Philippines Teams 2024. She obtained her law degree and undergraduate degree from the Ateneo de Manila

Jose Lorenzo Sereno, Country Legal Head, Novartis Philippines

Mr. Sereno is a lawyer specializing in commercial law, public and private international law, and global corporate concerns. He previously worked for the judiciary, and later focused on dispute resolution and arbitration, compliance, and government affairs. His current focus is pharmaceutical and healthcare compliance, commercial innovation, and intellectual property. He is currently Country Legal Head for Novartis' Philippine affiliate, and previously held leadership positions in compliance and government affairs. Mr. Sereno graduated in 2012 from the Ateneo de Manila Law School and taught in the same institution from 2013-2014, and in the University of Asia and the Pacific from 2016-2019. 

Joseph J. Marigomen, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation

Atty. Joseph J. Marigomen is a First Vice President for Legal Services of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, the largest toll road operator in the Philippines. He has been the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation since 2017. Atty. Marigomen obtained his law degree and undergraduate degree from the University of the Philippines. He became a member of the Philippine Bar in 1996. Prior to joining the company in 2015, he was a Senior Partner at Puno and Puno Law Offices where he spent 17 years of practice in various fields of law including energy, privatization, dispute resolution, family law, infrastructure (roads and tollways, engineering, procurement and construction) and real estate law.

Lirene C. Mora, Vice president, Global Corporate Legal Affairs, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Lirene is International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI)’s Vice President for Global Corporate Legal Affairs. ICTSI is a Filipino – owned multinational company with 32 terminals in 19 countries and the world’s largest, independent terminal operator across six continents. She joined ICTSI in 2007 as Industrial Relations Officer and has since held several positions in the Legal Department, including Regional Counsel for Asia Pacific. Lirene is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Pakistan International Container Terminal Ltd. Concurrently, she is a Director of ICTSI’s operating companies in Papua New Guinea, of ICTSI Far East Pte. Ltd. in Singapore and of numerous holding and operating companies in the Philippines. She is also the Corporate Secretary of ICTSI Foundation, Inc. She was recognized as the 2019 Woman Lawyer of the Year and a finalist for the 2019 Young Lawyer of the Year by the Asian Legal Business Philippine Law Awards. In 2023, Lirene received recognition from The Legal 500 as she was selected to be part of the inaugural General Counsel Powerlist Philippines. ICTSI’s entire global legal team, headed by Lirene, was likewise recognized in the General Counsel Powerlist Teams 2024.

Monica Jimenez, Head of Legal, TrueMoney Philippines

Atty. Jimenez has over 14 years experience as a legal professional in the financial sector.  She is currently Head of Legal at True Money Philippines, the local subsidiary of Southeast Asia's biggest fintech.  Prior to this, she worked in a universal bank, where in addition to being in-house counsel, she was concurrently involved credit policy formulation.  Atty. Jimenez is also a lecturer of Banking Law at the De La Salle University and Angeles University law schools.  

Rhys Alexei Y. Murillo, CPA, JD, CCO, General Manager, Compliance, Legal, External and Government Affairs, Nissan Philippines, Inc.

Atty. Rhys Alexei Y. Murillo is a C.P.A. Lawyer who completed his Bachelor of Science in Accountancy degree from De La Salle University-Taft, and his Juris Doctor Degree from Ateneo Law School. He passed the 2006 Philippine Bar Examinations, and has since been exposed to various industries, and worked with legal departments of local and multinational companies such as the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company, the Philippine Stock Exchange, the Araneta Group Companies, up to his current role as the General Manager of the Compliance, Legal, External and Government Affairs of Nissan Philippines, Inc. Since joining Nissan Philippines, Inc. in 2013, Atty. Murillo has since been actively working with industry stakeholders and the Philippine Government to push for and advance the interests of the Automotive Industry, including but not limited to the Philippine Lemon Law, LTO Plate and Registration Process improvements, and Electrification, among others. As part of his personal advocacies, Atty. Murillo is working with electrification advocates EVAP and the DOE to push for electrified mobility in the Philippines and promote the adoption of EV technologies by the Filipinos.

Ricardo M. Pilares III, Vice President for Legal, Compliance Officer, Corporate Governance Officer, and Corporate Secretary – Metro Pacific Investments Corporation

Mr. Pilares graduated Valedictorian from the Ateneo Law School in 2006 and passed the Philippine Bar examinations in 2007 with the second highest ranking. He also received the Best Thesis Award from the Ateneo Law School for his thesis entitled “Benevolent Neutrality Theory: Retesting and Redefining the Boundaries of the Free Exercise Clause”. Before joining MPIC in 2010, Mr. Pilares worked in two law firms where he handled litigation, corporate and special projects. Mr. Pilares was appointed as MPIC’s Vice President for Legal on 2018. As the Company’s Chief Legal Officer, Mr. Pilares took the lead legal role in various projects of MPIC. His role in MPIC continued to expand when he was appointed as Compliance Officer on 2016, Corporate Governance Officer and Corporate Secretary both on 2021. Mr. Pilares also acts as legal counsel and corporate secretary of MPIC’s various subsidiaries and affiliates. He is also a member of the faculty of Ateneo Law School, teaching Statutory Construction and Conflict of Laws. In 2019, he published his first legal textbook entitled, “Statutory Construction: Concepts and Cases.”

Robert De Guzman, Chief Legal Officer, Coins.ph

Atty. Robert De Guzman is the Chief Legal Officer at Coins.ph, the Philippines’ first and largest cryptocurrency exchange. Previously, as Chief Compliance Officer at Coins.ph, he developed the Governance, Risk Management and Compliance strategy to align with the company’s objectives. He collaborates closely with the key regulators, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, ensuring that senior management and the Board of Directors are updated on regulatory developments. With over a decade of legal experience, Atty. De Guzman has served as legal counsel for multinational companies, including Transcom Worldwide BV ROHQ, EMCI (an Innodata, Inc. subsidiary), and Sea Group (Shopee, ShopeePay, SPX, Seamoney and Garena). He has addressed issues related to tax, data privacy, disputes, intellectual property, regulatory compliance and corporate restructuring. Additionally, he has taught law at San Beda College and holds degrees in Philosophy, Human Resources, and Law, as well as a Master of Laws, all from San Beda College. He also completed an Executive Education Program at Harvard Law School.

Ryan Co, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Pacific Synergy Food and Beverage Corp.

Ryan currently serves as the Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs of Pacific Synergy Food and Beverage Corp. He was recently selected as one of the Top 10 Chief Legal Officers of the Philippines by CEO Insights Asia.  He was also included in The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Philippines and was recognized as one of the best in-house legal professionals in the Philippines. He also led his legal team to be recognized as one of Southeast Asia's best legal teams by The Legal 500. Prior to joining Pacific Synergy, he also also counseled for Shopee Philippines and other SEA Group entities, Rockwell Land and Megaworld Corporation. He also handled high profile litigation and employment cases and complex legal transactions at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan and Kapunan Lotilla Flores Garcia & Castillo. He obtained his Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) from Santa Clara University School of Law in California focused on High Technology, Employment and Intellectual Property and Law (J.D.) and Economics (A.B.) Degrees from San Beda University.