Leading beyond recovery: Francis Lim at the helm of FINEX

In its storied 53-year history, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) has had a number of lawyers serving as President of the country’s foremost finance organization. But never before has it elected a legal eagle with a stock market background until Francisco ED. Lim was chosen by his peers to lead FINEX in 2021.

Francis was the President and CEO of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) from 2004 to 2010. During his stint at the PSE, he joined FINEX and held key positions in various institutions such as the PSE Foundation, the Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines, the Capital Market Development Council, the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corporation, and the Securities Investors Protection Fund.

Since then, Francis has served as President of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), President of the Shareholders Association of the Philippines (SharePhil), Trustee of the FINEX Research and Development Foundation, Trustee of the CIBI Foundation, and Trustee of the Judicial Reform Initiative (JRI). He continues to be active in the Institute of Corporate Directors, the Philippine Judicial Academy, and several committees in the Supreme Court.

All these while working at ACCRALAW as Senior Partner specializing in corporate law and litigation; teaching law at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law and the San Beda University Graduate School of Law; and sitting on the boards of PSE-listed firms Energy Development Corporation and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. as well as non-listed companies Alphaland Corporation, DHL Summit Solutions Inc., Producers Savings Bank Corporation, and The Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd.

His long array of accolades from international and domestic institutions are complemented by an equally lengthy list of laws that Francis assisted during the enactment process such as the Real Estate Investment Trust Act, the Personal Equity Retirement Account Act, the Philippine Competition Act, the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act, and the Credit Investment System Act.

Armed with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Francis was admitted to both the Philippine Bar and the New York State Bar. He has authored several books and articles published by local and global publications.

On January 15, 2021, Francis Lim will be formally inducted as FINEX President along with his Board of Directors, namely: Euney Marie Mata Perez, EVP, and Corporate Secretary; Michael Arcatomy Guarin, VP-Internal Affairs; Augusto Bengzon, VP-External Affairs; Consuelo Garcia, VP-Capital Market Development; Senen Matoto, VP-Good Governance; Omar Cruz, VP-Professional Development; Wilson Tan, Treasurer; and Directors Hilaria Concepcion, Edith Dychao, Domingo Go, Ronald Luis Goseco, Arleen May Guevara, Florencia Tarriela, and Stephanie Zulueta. The FINEX theme for this year is “Transcending the New Frontier. Leading Beyond Recovery.”