With Atty. Felipe Gozon's Retirement as CEO… What Happens Next at GMA?

Atty. Felipe Gozon’s announcement that he is retiring as CEO of GMA Network sent shockwaves throughout the industry. How could it not? Gozon has led the company since the year 2000, turning it from a perennial also-ran who was barely earning and always playing catch-up to the industry leader into the country’s number one broadcast network. 

Now, the 84-year-old is taking a step back from the media behemoth he helped build. What happens next at GMA? Will Gozon be truly hands-off moving forward? Who is the executive he named to take his place as CEO? And who else is being positioned to lead the Kapuso network into the next stage of its growth? 

Here’s what we know so far about the leadership changes at GMA Network.

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FLG is not completely going away just yet

Although he is retiring as CEO, Atty. Gozon (or FLG to most people in the industry) is not totally letting go of the company. The outgoing executive may be relinquishing his position as CEO, but in his speech last Saturday, he said that after January 1, 2024, he will continue on as chairman and adviser to the board, as well as chairman of the network’s program committee.

According to insiders, the latter is significant because this means he will still be part of the decision-making processes involving the network’s slate of TV programs—what shows get greenlit, the on-cam talents that are hired or let go, filling the timeslots with what programs, etc. It’s a powerful body within the network and Gozon’s continued involvement means that he is not ready to let go of this role just yet.

Of course, as chairman and adviser to the board, he still has broad powers to approve or reject any major decisions involving the network. What he is giving up as CEO includes setting the strategic directions of the company, day-to-day management of the network’s operations, and making decisions that will have an impact on the company as a whole, among other things. Those will now be under the purview of the new CEO.

Speaking of new CEO…

Who is the new CEO of GMA Network?

Named as Gozon’s successor as GMA Network CEO is Gilberto Duavit Jr.

JRD, as he is known within and outside of the company, is a familiar name in the industry. The eldest son of Gilberto Duavit Sr., (one of the founders and majority shareholders of GMA Network) has been a member of the company’s board of directors since 1999 and has held various roles in the company over the years.

Duavit is a grandson of former senator Jose Roy. His father, meanwhile, served in the Cabinet of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. as assistant executive secretary for social, political, and economic affairs. Eventually, the elder Duavit, as well as his two sons Joel and Michael, became involved in elective politics, serving at various times as the representative of the first district of Rizal. Duavit Sr., who was also the founding chairman of GMA, passed away at the age of 84 in 2018.

A philosophy graduate from the University of the Philippines Diliman, JRD was a leading force in the establishment of GMA’s feature films unit, GMA Films (which was previously called Cinemax). The studio’s first films included critical and commercial hits like the Jose Rizal biopic, and Sa Pusod ng Dagat, both of which were directed by award-winning filmmaker Marilou Diaz Abaya. Duavit eventually became involved in producing television shows as well.

In 1999, Duavit was elected to the board of GMA Network and, a year later, he was named executive vice president and COO. He became the president of the company in 2010.

According to a release from GMA, Duavit also holds the following positions within other units of the company: chairman of the board of GMA Network Films; president and CEO of GMA Holdings, Inc., RGMA Marketing and Productions, Inc.; chairman, president, and CEO of Group Management and Development, Inc., and Dual Management and Investments, Inc.; and vice chairman of GMA Ventures, Inc., which was founded to invest in startups.

According to Forbes, the 60-year-old Duavit is No. 37 in the list of richest Filipinos, with an estimated net worth of $350 million (about P19.4 billion).

Next generation

Three families took over what was formerly called Republic Broadcasting System (RBS) in 1974—the Gozons, represented by Atty. Felipe L. Gozon; the Duavits, represented by the late Gilberto Duavit Sr., and the Jimenezes represented by Menardo Jimenez. The three families helped turn the old RBS into what is now GMA Network.

Today, the next generation of the original founders are involved in the company and contributing to its growth and success.

We already covered Duavit Jr., who has been named CEO. Which other family members are holding significant positions in GMA?

Joel Jimenez, the son of former GMA Network president Menardo Jimenez, was also elected chairman of the GMA’s executive committee effective January 1, 2024. He was the vice chairman of GMA’s executive committee and has been a director since 2002. In addition, he is also the current president & CEO of Menarco Holdings; CEO of Alta Productions Group, Inc.; director of RGMA Network, Inc., executive committee chairman and director of GMA New Media, Inc., Scenarios, Inc., GMA Worldwide, Inc., Citynet Network Marketing and Productions, Inc., Malayan Savings and Mortgage Bank, and Nuvoland Philippines. He is also a Trustee of GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.

Jimenez graduated with a degree in business administration major in marketing from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He also earned his Masters in Management from the Asian Institute of Management.

Meanwhile, Atty Gozon’s daughter Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes has been part of the GMA family for decades, having been a director since 2000. She is currently the senior vice president and head of GMA’s Talent Management and Development, Program Management, Human Resources, Legal, and GMA Worldwide. She is also the programming consultant to the Chairman and CEO, president of GMA Films, Inc., and board member of RGMA.

Atty. Gozon-Valdes is also the corporate secretary of GMA Network, GMA Ventures, Inc. and Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. (PEP) as well as stockholder of GMA New Media, Inc. (NMI), Treasurer of Citynet Network Marketing & Productions, Inc, and a Trustee of the GMA Kapuso Foundation.

A graduate of Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University, Atty Gozon-Valdes completed her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. She later obtained her Master of Laws from Harvard University. She is also a junior partner in Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion & Lucila (on leave) and was an Associate Professor at the UP College of Law where she taught Taxation and Legal History.