PHILIPPINES, SEPTEMBER 01, 2011: After weeks of being the hot topic in many advertising circles, President Benigno Aquino III has finally confirmed the appointment of Ramon Jimenez Jr. as the new Tourism Secretary. Jimenez takes the helm from Alberto Lim, whose resignation took effect yesterday.
The confirmation was made during Aquino’s visit to China, when he told reporters that Jimenez has finally accepted the position. “He’s a marketing, advertising guy. Tourism, I think, is primarily a marketing effort because the product is already there,” said the president. He also noted that the new Department of Tourism Secretary will be in charge of perfecting whatever government has already started in the said field.
“At the end of the day, he will be informing a lot of the citizens of the world that there are such and such sites accessible, it should be visited. It would be something that he will do. He’s been studying for about two weeks," Aquino added.
Known primarily for founding Jimenez Basic – once the biggest local brand in advertising – Jimenez and his wife Abby Lee-Jimenez ventured in to consultancy with a new firm called WOO. He serves as senior consultant and joint chief executive officer of the company with his better half. He has handled a roster of top Philippine brands such as Cebu Pacific, Ivory, Jollibee, Selecta Ice Cream, Safeguard and San Miguel among others.
A graduate of the University of the Philippines, Jimenez majored in Visual Communication at the UP College of Fine Arts. He has also served as vice-president and executive creative director at Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, and assisted in Aquino’s election campaign by playing the role of marketing consultant for the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation.
