Petitioner Gokongwei, a stockholder of the San Miguel Corporation, filed a declaration of. A decade later Lisa would launch Summit Media, this time acquiring no newspapers, just nonpolitical magazines and websites. Lance Yu Gokongwei (born 23 November 1966) is President and CEO of JG Summit Holdings Inc., one of the largest Filipino conglomerates,[1] with interests in food (Universal Robina), air transport (Cebu Pacific), real estate and property development (Robinsons Land Corp.), banking (Robinsons Bank), and petrochemicals (JG Summit Olefins Corp.)[1][2] He also has a stake in Robinsons Retail, one of Philippines' largest retailers, which was started by his father as a department store in 1980. - A A +. His other. This story appears in the Septemper 12, 2016 issue of Forbes Asia. Also Known As: John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. father: John Gokongwei, Sr. (Go Kong Wei), siblings: Henry Go, James L. Go, Johnson Go, Lily Ngochua, children: Faith Gokongwei, Hope Gokongwei, Lance Gokongwei, Lisa Gokongwei, Marcia Gokongwei, Robina Gokongwei, Founder/Co-Founder: JG Summit Holdings, Cebu Pacific, Universal Robina, Robinsons Malls, education: De La Salle University, Ateneo De Manila University. In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Gokongwei, best known . I was nine then, and hed make beating me look so damn easy. This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 21:04. He is also survived by wife Elizabeth and daughters Lisa, Robina, Faith, Hope and Marcia. I told my son that he should study well and work very hard, or else an enterprising immigrant youth now in 168 Mall might someday take over that seat of yours.. His nephew Patrick Henry Go, president and CEO of JG Summit Petrochemicals Group, shared a memory of witnessing an animated late afternoon meeting between his late dad Henry Go and Gokongwei on whether to further expand their diverse businesses. His presence is very much felt., Where John usually is, instead, is at home with the woman he married 58 years ago, as he was plying the import trade in his native Cebu, pre-JG Summit. John Gokongweis biography, John L. Gokongwei Jr.: The Path of Entrepreneurship, written by Dr. Marites A. Khanser, was released on August 29, 2007, at the Ateneo de Manila University. They later had 12 grandchildren. Malacaang on Sunday expressed its deep condolences to the Gokongwei family. After World War II, he started his own company called Amasia Trading, which imported flour, onions, fruits, used clothing, old newspapers, and magazines from the United States. John then launched a corn milling plant, named Universal Corn Products, and started producing corn starch and glucose. Present during the visit were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senators Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III. It was sufficiently successful that another production line was required to meet demand. In 2002 Gokongwei donated P200-million to the undergraduate school of management. She used to be in the corporate world for a decade but followed her heart and became a writer. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, the eldest daughter, runs Robinsons Retail Holdings, the second-largest retailer in the Philippines. It includes companies such as snack food and drink producer Universal Robina, shopping centers Robinsons Malls, and everyone's favorite budget airline Cebu Pacific. Credit: Munshi Ahmed for Forbes. Mass will be held on Friday. John initially served the basic-needs market, with his branded snacks, sugar, noodles, beverages, poultry, hotels, condos, and clothing. But in the end, it was his family that made John Gokongwei live a happy and content life. Portrait of John Gokongwei Jr. Photo: Handout from JG Summit Holdings Inc. Website. whatever it takes. He had to close down. (Tan went on to start his own diverse conglomerate, LT Groupwith a market cap of $4 billion and no interests in cornstarch.). He recalls bowing to the imperial soldiers. Their love gifted them with six children: Robina, Lance, Lisa, twins Faith and Hope, and Marcia. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". November 11, 2019. At the age of 14, he started selling peanuts in the streets to send money to his family in China. In March 1996, Cebu Pacific Air began operations. John Gokongwei with eldest grandchild Justin back in the day. Together the brothers expanded into new business ventures as the elder, intuitive Gokongwei saw opportunities and James kept a detailed eye on the balance sheet, R&D and quality control. His funeral was held on November 15. He queried in Hokkien: Do you think I can still work up to 90? Many people dream of retiring early, while this hardworking entrepreneur was asking if he could still work up to 90! Still, its hard to shed old habits. In 2013, Johns company purchased San Miguel Corporations stakes in MERALCO, the Philippiness biggest power distributor, for almost $1.8 billion. The Palace expresses its deep condolences to the family, the surviving wife Elizabeth, children Lance, Robina, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia, friends and colleagues of Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr.. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. It was at this moment that I realized that we had lost more than an uncle and a boss; sometimes we are just too close to the situation that we dont see the forest for the trees. John Gokongwei also tried to acquire the Singapore-based property company United Industrial Corporation Ltd. (UIC) for $1 billion, where he had over 30% of stakes. He liked to take care of the family, the company and people.. The following day (November 16), Elizabeth died, at the age of 85. We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. But just as when he first retired ten years before, at age 65, John could notdid notreally leave the drivers seat. During these difficult years, he initially supported his family by peddling items along the streets of Cebu from his bicycle. Everybody called him Big John, but we his family, siblings and wife Elizabeth called him Iya, which means Lovable Baby. My father John Gokongwei, Sr. died when he was only 34, my mother was a very pretty, 30-year-old widow. ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW Exactly a week later, November 16, 2019, Elizabeth also died. I told my mother shes the one Im going to get married to, so I chased her for four years. Home Stories John Gokongweis Life & Success Story: From Selling Peanuts To Building A Business Empire. [6] San Miguel Corporation was a big customer of theirs. You may have passed away, but your legacy will live on. From journalists Emmie Abadilla Patrick recalled, I distinctly remember this discussion because my father was loudly trying to convince Mr. John not to do it anymore. Doing business was easier [than chasing her down].. It's his daughter's reply to his "I love you," after he tucksher in to bed. John was 13 years old, the eldest of six siblings, so he felt the big responsibility. Robina recalls her fathers booming voice waking her up early during school summers she worked at Robinsons warehouse tagging clothes. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; 11 August 1926 - 9 November 2019) was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. His great-grandfather, Pedro Gotiaoco, was one of the richest men in Cebu in the 19th century. He also made generous donations to institutes such as the University of San Carlos, the De La Salle University, the Sacred Heart School, the Xavier School, and the Immaculate Conception Academy. We not just the family but the Philippines have just lost a great man.. And James, at 77, is also stepping away, triggering a three-year process in which Lance will rise to chairman and CEO. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. JG Summit grew to $135 million by 1993, when it listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, and then $1.8 billion by its 50th anniversary in 2007. The eldest grandson of John L. Gokongwei, Jr. and son of Robinsons Retail Holdings president Robina Gokongwei-Pe, the New York University-educated, 24-year-old Justin G. Pe shared his unforgettable conversation with his angkong (Hokkien for grandpa) one week before he passed away. John Gokongweis Life & Success Story: From Selling Peanuts To Building A Business Empire, timeless business lessons we can learn from Big John, 4 Tips On How To Start Your Own Takoyaki Business. He enjoys reading and exercising [37], and was a finisher in the 2009 New York Marathon [38]. Then came the Japanese occupation in 1942. When he died, Big John was the third-richest person in the Philippines, according to Forbes. That was one week before he passed. He decided to shut down in favor of cornstarch production, at which another precocious operator in Cebu was doing well. The PLDT group later bought the company for $1.7 billion. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist died Saturday night, Nov. 9, 2019 at the age of 93 surrounded by family at the Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila.. His status as the country's third richest businessman, with a wealth of $5.3 billion according to Forbes magazine was . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. "John Gokongwei Jr., Industry Game Changer; 93", "Watch: John Gokongwei, Jr. Talks About School, Business, and the New Digital Age", "Gokongwei's Nine Rules of Business Success", "A Way out of Poverty, According to 'Mr. On dating, Angkong actually asked me: Do you have a girlfriend? I replied: No. He then advised me: Alright, play around, play around., What were Gokongweis pieces of advice to his grandson? At the age of 17, Big John rediscovered his familys love for trading and expanded his business. It's hard to imagine many consumer products and services today without thinking of John Gokongwei Jr. I was one year old when I came here to Cebu from Fujian, south China. We cant depend on what we have now., Philippines 50 RichestCoverage Continues Here. Buy PhilSTARs Tagalog tabloid Pilipino STAR Ngayon every Friday and read my column Kuwentong Panadero. Read also https://investment.fwd.com.ph/experts/asia-s-business-leaders-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them. Subscribe to Forbes Asia. I finally joined the business four months ago not knowing he'd pass away so soon. Years of hard work, discipline and brilliant strategic thinking made the entrepreneur into the countrys undisputed Snack Foods King with his Jack n Jill brands, a visionary industrialist and founder of many other progressive enterprises under JG Summit Holdings, Inc. Gokongwei pioneered the budget airline concept, which made Philippine airline travel affordable, with Cebu Pacific Air. That there was more than enough money and that they should rest already that was his argument. [7] The following year, he partnered with Japan's Calbee and France's Danone for potato chips and beverages respectively. He knows hell be here, says Robina. [5] From the years 1943 to 1945, or between the ages of 17 and 19, he traded using a wooden boat, taking his goods to Dalahican, Lucena by sea and then to Manila by truck. John Gokongwei's Nine Rules of Success. ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW Celebrity Updates The Philippines late Snack Food King, petrochemicals and budget airline pioneer John L. Gokongwei, Jr. was one of Southeast Asias most respected self-made business leaders and philanthropists when he died at age 93 on Nov. 9. Lance was 28 years old, a University of Pennsylvania graduate whod worked at an American bank and done a few job rotations at JG Summit, when he says his father approached him with news hed bought four aircraft and asked him to run their new airline business. Pedro Gotiaoco was a peddler who settled in Cebu after migrating from Fujian, China. He launched his first company, Amasia Trading, in 1946. Khanser's book also enumerated the Nine Rules of business success[8] that Gokongwei followed since he was still a young businessman. Hisgreat-grandfather(18591921; simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: WWnzho; Peh-e-j: GBnthiu),a young peddler from China, was HispanizedasPedroSingsonGotiaoco(simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; Peh-e-j: G-thiu-ko) and became one of the Philippines' most prominent Chinese Filipinos. John Gokongwei Jr., owner of Cebu Pacific, died on Nov. 9 at the age of 93, according to a statement from the airline. He graduated valedictorian. Another lesson in business: Always be humble, Mr. John admonished. I told him, Angkong, I was told to socialize more to not be so torpe and not be such a nerd. To which he replied: Id rather you be a nerd. Just goes to show how back then, and even now, being smart is truly the new sexy. The Lasallian MASTER recognition was awarded to Mr. John Gokongwei Jr. at the launching of the DLSU College of Business and School of Economics last June 11, 2010 at Dusit Hotel in Makati City. I admired and liked him very much. Gokongwei's only son, Lance, is its chief executive officer. Back then, when I was a little boy, Angkong always beat me in swimming. During those very tough days in the hospital when we never knew whether he would give up or still fight, I happened to catch him in his best moment. Justin smiled, saying: We talked about coffee and dating. In the early 1950s, John started importing cigarettes and whiskey, too. [12] His only son, Lance, currently leads the group as president and CEO of JG Summit. Aside from their conglomerate, JG Summit also has interests in PLDT, Manila Electric Company, and other global companies like United Industrial and more. This, later on, became Universal Robina Corporation (URC) when it ventured into other finished goods. (Originally entitled "Mr. John Gokongwei on Charter Change") by Ducky Paredes (article from August of 2006) Mr. John, as his corporate family fondly refers to John Gokongwei, has always been known for being a practical businessman. For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. [17] As a result, its income and revenues fell. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Lucio Tan had to sell his mill to us, says Gokongwei of his established rival. John Gokongwei Jr., whose rags-to-riches story has inspired many Filipino entrepreneurs, died on November 9 at . But commerce in the Philippines is rarely without domestic complications. I initially thought that Id have a hard time in the family business due to the alleged long hours and a salary lower than I got in Shell but oh how I was truly mistaken. CEBUANO tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. died on Saturday night, Nov. 9, 2019. To this day, my cousins and I still play mahjong every Sunday lunch, but I guarantee that none of us could match the sharpness that both my Amah and Angkong had when it comes to mahjong. [6] Today the airline dominates the Philippines domestic market. When he saw his grandfather, the boy asked why were his parents were making him work that summer job? The movie theaters, cars and the big house were all seized by the banks. . The Gokongwei family even has also donated buildings and money to big universities here in the country and part of the proceeds of this book will go to a charitable institution. Be No. James got accepted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a degree in chemical engineering. From there Cebu Pacific was born. Business News Philippines 2023. [22] They have a daughter and a son. When he turned 80, Mr. John blazed a trail in philanthropy when he announced on his birthday that he was donating half of his personal holdings in JG Summit to establish the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Gokongwei Group. Well look at the financial statements for you, Lance on dad John Gokongwei: Why he always had food in his pocket and loved to fly cheap, /ancx/food-drink/recommended-bars/03/02/23/a-jazz-bar-just-opened-inside-makati-cinema-square, /ancx/culture/art/03/01/23/kids-of-top-artists-showcase-works-alongside-their-dads, /ancx/culture/spotlight/02/28/23/a-first-look-at-lazadas-new-cafeteria-style-office-in-bgc, /ancx/culture/spotlight/02/28/23/cebu-pacs-smile-mag-is-back-with-new-younger-design, /ancx/style/necessary-style/02/27/23/the-union-x-jordan-1-low-ajko-collab-is-a-crowd-pleaser. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. But one in particular made me pause and reflect. Gokongwei was born in China to John Gokongwei Sr. and Juanita Mrquez Lim. Gokongwei was born in Manila, as the second of six children. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei was born on August 11, 1926 in China to a Filipino-Chinese father who was a scion of a wealthy Cebu-based family with ancestral ties to China's Fujian province. 8List Editor. Johns children have held senior responsibilities for some time: Lance runs Summits airline, Cebu Air, and the groups food-and-beverage outfit, Universal Robina, where youngest sister, Marcia, is a manager. 'Old Auntie', under his great-grandfather, Don Pedro Singson Gotiaoco, whose illegitimate son was also President Sergio Osmea. Top row: John, Elizabeth, and daughter Robina. He pointed at me and called me, and in his grungy voice, asked me directly without blinking: How are our coffee sales? I responded: Were doing much better this month Angkong! According to a later Manila Times recap, [T]errorized by Estradas wrath, the Gokongweis were forced to apologize to stop him and soon after sold the newspaper in a deal allegedly orchestrated by Estrada. Elizabeth tolerates that in order to keep him away from the lechon (roasted pork) and ice cream that he wants most. The Gokongwei family controls over $20 billion of combined market capitalization for all the companies they own. John and Elizabeth had first met when John was still a small-time importer of second-hand goods and owned a tiny store in Cebu. Gokongwei was the founder and chairman of JG Summit Holdings, which owns . She had also been a founding member of the Robinsons Department Store and had served on the board of trustees of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF). He received his Masters degree in Business Administration from De La Salle University in 1977 and has, since then, been an ardent supporter of education. John Gokongwei I'm from Cebu. 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