Jollibee Group CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong Honored as Entrepreneur of the Year
Jollibee Group’s president and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong bagged the esteemed title of Entrepreneur of the Year from the Asia Leaders Award, which recognizes the movers and shakers in the region.
Tanmantiong has been leading Jollibee as president and CEO since 2014, and has sat on the board since 1987. The brother of Jollibee founder Tony Tan Caktiong, Tanmantiong has been with Jollibee since its inception in 1978, steadily moving up the chain of command from store manager to COO and now CEO.
Under Tanmantiong’s leadership, Jollibee has expanded around the world and experienced year-on-year growth pre-pandemic.
Upon receiving the award at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, the awardee encouraged entrepreneurs to keep dreaming big despite the struggles of the pandemic. Entrepreneurship creates business, and business creates jobs for the Filipinos in need of livelihoods.
“You might think that it is counterintuitive to be dreaming big at a time when economies are being challenged and businesses are struggling, but it is not. I believe that it is during these times when the values of entrepreneurship come to fore as we march into this new reality. Crisis breeds opportunity, and there are many opportunities out there,” said Tanmantiong.
Despite the challenges of a global economic crisis, Jollibee has fearlessly continued opening branches around the world to great success. It now operates in 34 countries, with over 5,800 stores of its 15+ brands.
“If we dream small, we will act small. When we dream big, we can do better, give better, make things better,” added Tanmantiong.
Small dreams have never been a part of the Jollibee manifesto. The company that Tanmantiong’s family built is now on its way to becoming one of the world’s top five restaurant companies.
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