By Jomarc Angelo M. Corpuz, Special Features and Content Writer
Other than perhaps the Malacañang Palace, there is no building universally recognizable to any Filipino than a mall built by SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), with its iconic blue and white SM signage. Such is the influence, excellence, and reach of a company that has constructed over 90 malls in the Philippines and abroad.
At the head of the beloved brand is the Founding President and Chair of the Executive Committee of SM Prime, Hans T. Sy. Stepping into the shoes of his father, the late Henry T. Sy, Sr., Mr. Sy has more than excelled in leading one of the most valuable public companies in the country with SM Prime, one of the best-managed, fastest-growing, and most profitable banks in the Philippines with Chinabank, and one of the top universities in the country with the National University (NU).
Due to this pedigree, combined with novel advocacies in sustainability, diversity, and disaster risk reduction, Mr. Sy was recently named “MAP Management Person of the Year 2025” by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).
The award, previously known as the “MAP Management Man of the Year,” is given to individuals in business or government who have displayed unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and have made valuable contributions to the progress of the country and in re-shaping national values.
Adding to the glamour of the accolade, it has only been conferred 49 times in the six-decade history of the award. The criteria for the award include integrity, leadership, and management qualities; contribution to nation-building and values formation; and effective stewardship within the confines of the highest standard of business and management practice; among others.
In Mr. Sy’s case, he was bestowed the award for his lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, social inclusion, good governance, and resilience (ESG+R), which established SM Prime as a benchmark for sustainable and resilient urban development.
During his time as the founding president of SM Prime, he integrated ESG+R principles into the company’s core by instituting elevated structures, flood defenses, solar power generation, and water reuse across all of the company’s malls long before the features became industry standards. Under Mr. Sy’s leadership, ESG+R drove both growth and efficiency, making SM Prime a pioneer and a benchmark for resilient urban development.
He was also chosen for championing people-centered leadership and diversity by fostering a corporate culture that promotes employee welfare, professional development, and work-life balance, while building an organization that exemplifies the UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles.
Another factor for his recognition is his spearheading of innovative and sustainable retail development, which continuously provides growth opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), local government units, and the communities where SM malls operate.
These reasons were exemplified in Mr. Sy’s use of the SM platform to empower MSMEs and local government units (LGUs) along with his employees as he firmly believes that a company’s success is tied to the well-being of its community. He was also awarded as Outstanding Filipino Retailers President Award in 2024 for spearheading innovative and sustainable retail development, which provided countless growth opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Mr. Sy’s contribution in shaping global and local guidance on integrating disaster risk reduction into core business strategies by representing the Philippines in the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and by founding ARISE Philippines also led to his selection for MAP Management Person of the Year.
“My firsthand experiences with disasters and rehabilitation pushed me to strongly advocate for disaster resiliency in everything we do across the SM group. I dream about having a resilient and sustainable society that the next generations can benefit from, where no one is left behind, and where everyone can experience a safer, better future,” Mr. Sy was quoted as saying.
Mr. Sy showcased his patriotism as well by raising the Philippine flag with pride in other countries like China, proving that Filipino companies can compete successfully with global big brands. This is showcased particularly in an expansion from four local branches to 60 across the Philippines and seven in China.
Mr. Sy is also credited for growing the company’s portfolio to include residences, hotels, convention centers, offices, and warehouses, establishing itself as the largest integrated property developer in the Philippines and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia.
This year’s MAP Management Person of the Year was also picked for broadening access to quality education and athletic excellence by nurturing NU and supporting other broad-based initiatives that shape future generations.
As the university’s chairman, Mr. Sy rebuilt NU from the ground up, restoring identity, credibility, and ambition through sports as he believed that producing sports champions would boost NU’s enrolment and academic standing. Since then, NU has produced board topnotchers with enrollment surging by 2,955% to 55,000 (2008 versus 2024) across 11 campuses.
Additionally, through Mr. Sy’s support, NU also deepened its commitment to inclusive education, offering nearly 800 scholarships as of 2025.
One more reason for his selection by MAP this year is his personal support for vulnerable children through Child Haus, which provides critical healthcare and hope to indigent children with cancer.
Mr. Sy’s advocacy led him to purchasing a house in Barangay Payahan out of his own funds for the organization, later financing and building a seven-storey Child Haus in Malate, Manila to improve medical access for the children. Monthly allocations of free diagnostic testing were secured, while the refurbishing of the original home continuing. These significant acts inspired a community of private individuals and businesses supporting dormitories, dining halls, play areas and therapy rooms within the two Child Haus facilities.
Finally, Mr. Sy was picked as MAP Management Person of the Year for his personal contributions to shaping national values and inspiring others through his unwavering integrity, exceptional managerial competence, and visionary leadership.
Widely known as a seasoned corporate leader with over 30 years of executive experience, he also earned distinction at the local, regional, and international levels for driving key initiatives, with impact spanning various sectors of Philippine society. Among his most distinguished awards prior to this recognition are the Tambuli Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, the Outstanding Filipino Award in 2022, Asia’s Most Influential in 2021, and Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy in 2019.
MAP is an exclusive organization that aims for management excellence and connects top management practitioners with each other. Previous winners of the prestigious award include titans in Philippine business, including Mr. Sy’s late father in 1999, Manuel V. Pangilinan in 2005, the late George S.K. Ty in 2006, Erramon I. Aboitiz in 2011, the late John Gokongwei, Jr. in 2017, Federico R. Lopez in 2020, Isidro A. Consunji in 2022, and Ernesto M. Tanmantiong in 2023.
