Cocolife Group’s young leaders share their notable journeys as executives

Millennials, whose ages currently range from 25 to 40, are beginning to take more vital roles and responsibilities within organizations as they are expected to succeed current executives.

While they bring with them the lessons they have learned from their mentors, millennial leaders are set to drive organizations afresh towards growth and relevance, especially amid a very defining pandemic that brought forth the ‘now normal.’

For instance, at Cocolife, the biggest Filipino-owned stock life insurance company, millennials are taking the lead as some of its current executives were appointed to their roles as early as their thirties.

Atty. Martin Loon, president and chief executive officer of Cocolife, observed that while this course in his career was not planned, he was led to accept this challenge of making a difference through leadership.

“I never planned for this, but when I felt I was needed and I could make a difference, I accepted the challenge,” Martin said. “I stopped planning my career, at some point I realized it’s not up to me. There’s a more powerful hand guiding our lives and decisions.”

Atty. Darren De Jesus, president of Cocogen Insurance Company, Inc., also saw a new challenge when he was appointed in his current post after taking other roles in certain subsidiaries of Cocolife.

“I always thought that the feeling of contentment is a red flag for mediocrity. It is always good to diversify, recreate yourself, and take risks on your career every so often,” Darren shared. “These may bear fruit in the form of success if done strategically and correctly.”

Atty. Julio Bucoy, president of Cocolife Asset Management Company, Inc. and head of Cocolife’s Corporate Finance and Strategy Division, started his journey with the company as a consultant, and thereafter assumed a full-time role upon seeing the company’s potential.

“I am driven by the desire to make the most out of what we are given,” Julio said. “I was fortunate enough to grow up with a privileged life, getting the best education and personal security, so I want to make the most out of it and allow others who are not so fortunate to change [their standing in life].”

Leading as millennials

While taking an executive role at a young age is an impressive feat, it nonetheless requires the ability to make the decisions quickly, as well as the grit to face whatever challenges might come.

For Cocolife Group’s millennial leaders, they look up to the vast experiences they have gained, as well as the wisdom gained from former leaders, in effectively performing their roles.

“I believe that the preparation for the roles we eventually play in life starts even in childhood,” Martin said. “Our values, our sense of fairness and justice, our sense of compassion and forgiveness, our determination and grit — all of it started to develop when we were young kids.”

Cocolife’s president, who also is the founder of YDL Law (Yebra, De Jesus, and Loon Law), finds that running a law firm has sharpened his skill of solving problems immediately. “I’m that type of guy. When a problem emerges, I don’t wait for the next day. I solve it right away. I never waste time,” he added.

Darren, meanwhile, finds that his several experiences as a staff in the House of Representatives and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas have helped him in understanding people faster as the president of Cocolife’s non-life business. “In government, you have to be extra mindful of the people you are dealing with,” he said, adding that his former work also helped him understand deeper how to get things done on a larger scale.

Julio, on the other hand, pursued the notable designation of being a Chartered Financial Analyst while in law school. This allowed him to distinguish himself as a lawyer and a financial professional. Currently, he is one of the very few CFA-lawyers in the world.

“Specific to my role in Cocolife, it has helped me understand both our business under the legal framework we need to operate in,” he shared. “Internally, we joke about myself being a one-stop shop for anything that needs to be done.”

The head of Cocolife’s asset management business also noted that millennial leaders, as they experienced series of changes in their lifetime, are geared up to embrace disruptions that affect their organizations.

“We are the generation that experienced a rotary phone, Easy Call pagers, to the early generation cell phones, dial-up internet, etc. We are the generation that experienced so much change which has forced us to adapt to change quickly. We have seen the consequences of failing to do so,” he said. “[W]e can already see [disruptions] happening and this is where we can provide value at the most critical time. We try to bring in a dynamic vision for the organization that adapts to changes in our business environment.”

Martin finds, nevertheless, that millennials have a role to improve on what has already been built and to further strengthen fundamentals.

“I think we owe a lot to those who came before us, the older generation who laid the foundations and groundwork for what we’re doing now,” he shared. “We cannot claim too much credit for this since the previous generation laid the foundations for the things we do now.”

In overcoming challenges, Martin clings to faith through prayer, as this gives him a lot of clarity and purpose. “I just have faith that all struggles and difficulties are part of the process to form me into the person and leader God wants me to be.”

For Darren, meanwhile, since challenges are meant to be tackled head-on, decisions should be made swiftly yet with complete confidence. Nevertheless, he continued, it helps to have a relaxed mind for these situations. “It does not help to be rattled and jittery when presented with a problem,” he said.

Determination and gratitude

Darren encouraged his fellow millennials to embrace challenging and difficult situations, as this forces them to expand their capacity and hasten their learning curve. “A lot of young workers tend to look for what is most comfortable. This should never be the case,” he said.

Millennials are to put themselves as well in a position to succeed and to be prepared when the opportunity arises, Julio added. “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”

Martin emphasized being grateful for all those who helped them become who they are, who cared about them, and who always tried to find what was best for them in life.

“Whenever we become grateful, we are reminded of where we came from and how we started,” he continued. “It also gives us a chance to reassess and look back at our lives and see what we did right, and what we could’ve done better.”

“Just have faith in the process,” Martin added. “Don’t get tired waiting. Just believe that God’s plans are perfect and trust that His plans for all of us are perfect as well.”

Visit Atty. Martin Loon’s page on the Cocolife website to know more.

CDO Foodsphere stands out as one of the enterprises that have been actively helping the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company serves as a beacon of hope and an example of how an organization can turn challenges into opportunities and reap the rewards along the way.

CONQUERING CHALLENGES

CDO Foodsphere is not new to challenges. Part of its history is how it has risen from the ashes after its original factory was totally gutted down by fire in 1987. “The fire happened when CDO was still in its fragile stage” shares Jerome Ong, Foodsphere President & CEO, “The little business that our parents built with their hard-earned savings, along with the livelihood of our workers seemed impossible to bring back to life. But they were determined to pick up the pieces, rise from the ashes, and in just two days, the factory started humming again.”

“The wonderful thing about my parents is that they always had a heart for people, more than anything. It was not just about making a profit. If they were daunted with the difficulties of starting up again, the thought of people losing their jobs overshadowed any fear they had. In the same way, they endured all the sacrifices to provide a better future for their own children, they wanted to make sure our employees work and be able to provide a better life to their family.” Jerome said.

SETTING PRIORITIES

The company faced many challenges such as the Taal volcano eruption, the effects of the African Swine Fever (ASF), continuing challenges in raw materials, & the grave continuing impact of the pandemic. To be more efficient, President & CEO Jerome Ong simplified things by identifying key priorities for the company, which were their employees, their customers & business continuity.

CDO Foodsphere knew the importance of timely and accurate information, especially during a crisis. “From the top and across the leadership team, we made sure we all communicated effectively. “During the lockdowns when our mobility and physical presence were hampered, we saw it as an opportunity rather than a hindrance. We used all available technology – virtual meetings, social media channels, and messaging apps – to keep on talking to our people. I addressed the whole organization every week and as often as needed. More than providing means to keep the business going, it was a shining moment for us to show our people to know how much we care for them, and that we got their backs. We told our leaders that this pandemic is a rare opportunity for us to earn the highest level of trust and respect from our people. Let us not waste it. ”

Constant communication led to programs that helped Foodsphere thrive. Crisis management plans were updated, health protocols were established early on and strictly observed, and support was provided by the management to their teams like temporary living quarters, free meals and vitamins, shuttle services, bike loans, and even daily allowances to augment additional expenses.

“All told, the costs were staggering. But we have a mission to serve, to continue making our products available, and we can only do it with driven and committed people who know that they are taken care of.”

Aside from the thousands of employees, who were fondly called “Ka-Republikas” by Foodsphere co-founder and long-time Chairman, the late Jose J. Ong, Jerome credits the stellar business performance to the Leadership team. “Our family is truly blessed to have a very talented & hardworking management team. To begin with, they’re very good, a combination of homegrown talents and professional managers who truly work as a Team. In the midst of the pandemic, they took their game a notch further and really delivered.  We are extremely grateful.”

STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS

The company’s business partners have proven to be strong allies to CDO Foodsphere during the past year. They made it possible for the food processing giant to keep its commitment of ensuring ample food supply. The partners also allowed for help to be extended to those who need them.

One of these is the Million Meats Program where one million cans of meatloaf was produced by the company combining the donations of their trade partners and suppliers both here and abroad. It has benefited thousands of families in the past month and helped to make sure that there was food on the family table during meal times.

The CanDO project is a feeding program done with several food communities in social media, who cooked and delivered to front liners, organizations, and families in need in various locations the food donations given to them by CDO Foodsphere. It has served more than 800,000 meals since the pandemic began.

To date, the company continues to extend help and support to communities through Odyssey Foundation, Inc. which serves as its humanitarian arm. OFI has launched projects in solid waste management, community vegetable gardens and soon will be once again kicking off its annual nutrition programs.

REAPING REWARDS

CDO Foodsphere is the recipient of the ASEAN Category award for the Large Family Business Enterprise in the 2020 ASEAN Business Awards which happened in Vietnam in November last year. This recognition affirms the sustainability and strength of the business in the years to come.

They also became the first recipient of the Safety Seal Certification to be awarded by the Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE), and the seal was personally installed by Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III.

Foodsphere is a strong advocate of vaccination. In collaboration with GoNegosyo, the company was part of the first multilateral agreement for the private sector to procure COVID-19 vaccines for its employees. “Aside from continuously practicing the minimum health standards, vaccination is the key in protecting our people and their families, and allow them to soon enjoy their normal lives”, Ong said.

It is a promising future for CDO Foodsphere and brighter days are expected ahead. As they celebrate their 46th year this month, under the leadership of Jerome D. Ong, together with siblings Charmaine & Jason and the guidance of its founder Corazon D. Ong, the company reaffirms its commitment to provide food that brings people home.

Happy 46th anniversary, Foodsphere.