Conglomerate Ayala Corp. said Tuesday it signed a cooperation arrangement with New Zealand’s international business development agency to explore potential business and collaborative opportunities.
“We are excited that there is renewed interest for New Zealand to explore opportunities in our country. Likewise, we are interested in what we can learn from our Kiwi friends across a wide range of industries and sectors,” said Ayala chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala during the signing ceremony.
The signing took place on April 19, when New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the company’s headquarters during his official state visit to the Philippines.
The signing was led by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise chief executive Peter Chrisp, Ayala chief executive Cezar Consing and Ayala chief finance officer Albert de Larrazabal.
The signing was witnessed by Prime Minister Luxon, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Kell, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise General Manager of International Clare Wilson and Zobel de Ayala.
Describing the Philippines as one of the fastest growing economies in the region, Prime Minister Luxon introduced to the Ayala Group a delegation of senior business leaders from different industries, including manufacturing, airline, food and beverage, education and energy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Luxon said in his speech he looks forward to identifying how his business delegation can work with Ayala for the benefit of New Zealand and the Philippines.
“We’re very grateful to be here. This [Ayala] is a conglomerate with huge capabilities and huge interests in multiple sectors across the Philippine economy,” he said.
Ayala is one of the country’s largest and oldest conglomerates with core investments in property, banking, telecommunication, and power generation. It also has investments in automotive, electronics manufacturing and water distribution water.
Jenniffer B. Austria