He is the strategic thinker and the cool hand on the wheel, leading the Lopez Group through the roughest weather of its history. Undaunted — that is Oscar Moreno Lopez.

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Mr. Lopez is Chairman Emeritus of the Lopez Group of Companies and presides over a business network numbering over 161 corporations with more than 13,000 employees. This business network includes major companies First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), ABS-CBN, Sky Cable, and Bayan Telecommunications.

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He graduated cum laude (Bachelor of Arts) in Harvard University and pursued his post-graduate studies also at Harvard, completing a Masters Degree in public Administration from the Littauer School of Public Administration (now the John F. Kennedy School of Government).

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In 1960, Mr. Lopez was publisher of family-owned newspaper, Manila Chronicle. After which, he joined the Meralco Securities Corporation (now FPH), holding company of Manila Electric Company (Meralco). He headed the newly created Department of Economics Research and Development to study business prospects and chart directions for future growth.

 

In the 1970's, the Lopez family and businesses' chain of achievements was interrupted by the martial law. After the EDSA Revolution, he took the helm of a battered company, bankrupt and bleeding with debt. With his undaunted leadership, Mr. Lopez nursed FPH back to financial health, to its accustomed position of prominence as a diversified company with special expertise in power generation, manufacturing, and property.

 

Following the untimely death of his brother Geny in June 1999, and just as the full force of the Asian financial crisis spread its devastation on Philippine business, he assumed the mantle of leadership over the wider Lopez Group of Companies. He became the compass of the Group, a reliable guide of its corporate values.

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Mr. Lopez spearheaded two advocacies internal to the group: business excellence and corporate governance. As a testament to his commitment to good governance, all publicly-listed companies of the Lopez Group were awardees in the 2010 Corporate Governance (CG) Scorecard.

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Believing that corporate longevity and employees' actions redound on a strong philosophy, Mr. Lopez introduced the Lopez Credo - a statement of purpose that puts all the Lopez Group businesses in the service of the Filipino and articulates the seven Lopez values — a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit, business excellence, unity, nationalism, social justice, integrity, and concern for employee welfare and wellness.

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A mountaineer at heart, Mr. Lopez spearheaded Lopez Group support for the Philippine Mount Everest Team. He has also challenged himself with climbing the highest mountains in the country. At 81, he scaled the highest peak in Southeast Asia, Mt. Kinabalu through the five grueling days on the trail. Once again, he proved his undaunted spirit in aiming for higher peaks.

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For his advocacy of business with a conscience and management with a heart, support for environmental protection, poverty alleviation, education and culture, Mr. Lopez received honorary doctorate from the Ateneo de Manila University.