MANILA, PHILIPPINES– In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that shut everything down globally, there were a few weeks in the early part of 2020 that just seemed surreal. Businesses closed down and the streets were wide open. All of a sudden, companies found themselves having to transform their businesses and jumping head first into the digital realm.
After a few months of rigorous adjustments and digital pivots, the grind has slowed down and now more than ever, there is a renewed appreciation for going back to basics and human-centric methods.
For consultancy agency Organic Intelligence (OI), 2020 witnessed a rebranding that marked their maturity in the industry. Upon the success of their rebranding, they realized that their method is something that can also be applied to their clients.
“We realize the importance of sustainability and creating solutions that last,” shared Organic Intelligence’s CEO & Managing Partner, Carlo Hemedes.
This has prompted the need for a conversation especially with the current business climate in the country. Together with Organic Intelligence, adobo magazine is hosting a roundtable discussion entitled “Back to Basics: Refocusing on Meaningful Work” on Thursday, November 5 at 6:00 PM PHT.
“We believe in doing things right, in treating people right, and clients who have been with us since 2005 know this to be true,” added Hemedes.
With panelists from Organic Intelligence: CEO & Managing Partner, Carlo Hemedes; Director of Health Communications Jason Ligot, M.D.; SN Aboitiz President & Chief Executive Officer Joseph Yu; AIA PhilAm Life Chief Marketing Officer Leonardo Tan; and Puma Public Productions Founder & CEO Roby Alampay.
Carlo Hemedes has over 13 years of experience in Marketing and Communications, with expertise in Communications Planning, Consumer Research and Ethnography, Consumer Insighting and Understanding, Brand and Communication Workshops, IMC and Channel Planning, Brand Visioning and Marketing Plan development.
He started his career in ABS-CBN as a promo and communications specialist before dabbling into marketing in one of the country’s top bakery chains Red Ribbon. He eventually found home in advertising at Publicis JimenezBasic as a Strategic Planner, handling the agency’s multinational and local client.
He briefly went back to client side in the country’s leading universal bank BDO as Marketing Manager for Rewards and then in Philam Life Insurance as the Head of Affluent Marketing. He was a consultant for Acumen Consulting and is a part-time faculty of the Ateneo De Manila John Gokongwei School of Management, teaching Marketing and Advertising Management.
Jason Ligot, M.D. is a public health doctor and international health communication specialist with experience working in health promotion, mental health, tobacco control, non-communicable diseases, newborn health, violence and injury prevention, and environmental health.
He has undertaken projects and assignments in over 15 countries for local and international health organizations, national government agencies, non-government organizations, civil society, and educational institutions. These projects include convening high-level conferences, conducting workshops, and overseeing multi-country communication and advocacy campaigns.
In 2020, he co-founded #ProtectTheFrontline a community campaign to mobilize equipment for COVID-19 frontliners. Dr Ligot holds degrees in psychology and medicine, graduating with distinction, and has edited or contributed to scientific articles and technical publications on health promotion, health literacy and communications.
Joseph Yu has a solid track record of executing key strategic initiatives and delivering growth in complex market conditions, earned throughout his career in the fields of industrial gases and chemicals as well as specialty metals. He began his career as financial analyst of aerospace, automotive and engineering company AlliedSignal Inc./Honeywell International 1994.
In 2015, he joined hydroelectric power firm SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) as Executive President and Chief Operating Officer. He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 2017.
As Philam Life’s Chief Marketing Officer, Leo Tan is responsible for the Philam Group’s marketing strategy and initiatives, brand and product positioning, marketing communications, conceptualization and delivery of the customer experience strategy, as well as the Philam Vitality customer engagement platform.
Prior to his appointment, Tan was in charge of agency sales distribution for the Greater Metro Manila zone as Philam Life’s Zone Head. He re-joined Philam Life after having served as Chief Marketing Officer for Generali Philippines/ BDO Life from 2013 to 2016. He entered Philam Life after completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Economics with cum laude honors from the University of the Philippines.
Roby Alampay is the former Editor-in-Chief of Business World. He also anchors the nightly newscast of The Big Story on Bloomberg TV Philippines.
He was one of eight distinguished alumni of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UPCMC) honored in November 2017 as recipients of its first Glory Awards. He is recognized for his contributions to print and online journalism and has graduated from Columbia University’s School of Journalism.
Currently, Alampay is the Founder & CEO of Puma Public Productions as a Southeast Asian pioneer in non-music audio productions. Puma Public produces PumaPodcast, its flagship brand for promoting and producing podcasts in the Philippines and the rest of the ASEAN region.
As a pride point for the company, Hemedes pointed out that their clients echo the two-pronged vision he had for OI—seeing the intellectual part and at the same time, feeling the warmth of their relationship.
“When we started, we wanted to be the think tank, the intelligent house that clients could go to whenever they have challenges but at the same time, it was really coming from the belief that it’s all about the human person.”
Moderated by Philippine Daily Inquirer journalist Pam Pastor, the discussion will gather thought leaders in the industries of health, tech, food, banking, and energy, to dive deep into the shifts they undertook to refocus their brand, uncover new opportunities, and scale through meaningful actions.
Co-presented by Organic Intelligence, Back to Basics: Refocusing on Meaningful Work is organized by adobo magazine. Interested participants may register here for updates.
