Jose Rene Gregory Almendras

Mr. Almendras concurrently serves as Senior Managing Director of Ayala Corporation, President & Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) and President & Chief Executive Officer of AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation. He is also a member of the AC Management Committee, member of the Ayala Corporation Management Committee and the Ayala Group Management Committee since August 2016. He is the Chairman of the Executive Committee of MWCI and a Board of Director of the following companies within the Ayala Group: AF Payments Inc.; Light Rail Manila Holdings, Inc.; MCX Tollway Inc.; and AC Energy Corporation (formerly AC Energy Philippines, Inc.)

Mr. Almendras spent 13 years with the Citibank group where he started as a management trainee and landed his first CEO position as President of City Savings Bank of the Aboitiz Group at the age of 37. In 2011, he was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Sustainability Champion for his efforts as President of MWCI. During his stint as MWCI President and Chief Operating Officer, the company received multiple awards and was recognized as one of the Best Managed Companies in Asia, Best in Corporate Governance, one of the Greenest Companies in the Philippines and hailed as the world’s Most Efficient Water Company. Under the Administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III, he served as a member of the Cabinet, holding the positions of Secretary of the Department of Energy, Office of the Cabinet Secretary and theDepartment of Foreign Affairs.

In June 2016, Mr. Almendras was acknowledged by the Administration for his remarkable performance in addressing the country’s urgent issues and was awarded the highest Presidential Award given to a civilian – Order of Lakandula, Rank of Gold Cross Bayani.