CESAR A. BUENAVENTURA
Filipino, 92 years old
Independent Director since April 16, 2021
Aside from serving as an Independent Director of Manila Water, Mr. Buenaventura also serves as an Independent Trustee of Manila Water Foundation, Inc.
Mr. Buenaventura also serves as an Independent Director of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) since February 12, 2019. On June 18, 2020, he was appointed as the member of Audit Committee, Environment, Social and Governance Sub-Committee, Board Risk Oversight Committee, Related Party Transactions Committee, and a Chairman of Corporate Governance Committee. He is the Director and Chairman of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Phils. Inc. and Buenaventura Echauz and Partners, Inc., Director and Vice Chairman of DMCI Holdings, Inc. (DMCI), Director of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SCC), iPeople, Inc. (IPO), Petroenergy Resources Corp. (PERC), Concepcion Industrial Corp. (CIC), Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (SHLPH), DM Consunji Inc., and The Country Club. He is likewise a Trustee and Chairman of Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc., and Trustee of Bloomberry Cultural Foundation and ICTSI Foundation, Inc. He was formerly a Director of Philippine American Life Insurance Co., AG&P Co. of Manila, Ayala Corporation, First Philippine Holdings Corp., Philippine Airlines, Philippine National Bank, Benguet Corporation, Asian Bank, Ma. Cristina Chemical Industries, Maibarara Geothermal Inc., and Manila International Airport Authority. ICTSI, DMCI, SMC, IPO, PERC, CIC, and SHLPH are publicly listed companies.
His career started with Engineer David Consunji in 1951. Mr. Buenaventura then moved to the Shell Group of Companies in 1956 where he served as the first Filipino CEO and Chairman from 1975 until his retirement in 1990. He served 2 more years in the capacity of non-executive chairman until 1992. He was appointed member of the Monetary Board of Central Bank of the Philippines representing the private sector from 1981 until 1987.
Mr. Buenaventura is the founding chairman of the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. and founding member of the Board of Trustees of the Makati Business Club. He was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines from 1987 to 1994, the Board of Trustees of the Asian Institute of Management from 1994 to 2007, and President of Benigno Aquino S. Foundation from 1985-2010.
He is a recipient of many awards, among which are – Most Distinguished Alumnus, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines in 1977, the Management Man of the year by the Management Association of the Philippines in 1985, Outstanding Professional in Engineering by the Professional Regulatory Commission in 1997, Outstanding Fulbrighter in the field of business by the Philippine Fulbright Association in 2008, recipient of Centennial Award as one of the UP’s Top 100 Alumni Engineering Graduates.
In 1991, Mr. Buenaventura was made Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Mr. Buenaventura received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of the Philippines and his master’s degree in Civil Engineering majoring in Structures from Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1954, as a Fulbright scholar.