The Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) proved its strong commitment to honoring the country’s most outstanding finance executives by mounting a hybrid event for the milestone 15th edition of the ING-FINEX CFO of the Year Award.
Launched in 2006 through a permanent partnership between FINEX, the country’s premier organization for finance and business professionals, and ING Bank, N.V., one of the world’s largest banks, the ING-FINEX CFO of the Year Award stands as the longest-running and most prestigious search for exceptional finance stewards.
The 15th edition of the award was recently held at New World Makati Hotel. The hybrid event was attended by virtual guests along with select in-person attendees, all of whom went through proper health and safety protocols, which included antigen testing for COVID-19.
Awarded as the 2021 ING-FINEX CFO of the Year was Anabelle Lim-Chua of PLDT. In her acceptance speech, the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Management Officer said that CFOs have the platform to be a “positive force in all aspects of the business, in all parts of the organization.”
“I am immensely honored and grateful to be recognized by FINEX and ING as the 2021 outstanding CFO of the year. It is particularly gratifying to be commended as a Game-Changing CFO during this time,” Anabelle said.
According to Enrique Victor M. Pampolina, ING-FINEX CFO of the Year Award Committee Overall Chairman, the committee felt that it is in these critical and challenging times that the CFO’s value and contribution to an organization will be strongly tested. “Thus, in fact,” he said, “worthy of being recognized and rewarded with this much-coveted CFO of the Year Award.”
Each year, a distinguished board of judges conducts the most stringent selection process in determining the deserving winner. The method involves going through voluminous documents, doing tedious research, running interviews with all the finalists, as well as completing scoresheets based on the criteria set.
“They meet, they deliberate, discuss passionately—sometimes, even argue among themselves—in making the final choice for the ING-FINEX CFO of the Year awardee,” said Flor Tarriela, Liason Director of the ING-FINEX CFO of the Year Award Committee. “This year, the board did two ways of finding out the right winner, and, in both instances, came up with the same winner for the Game-Changing CFO of the Year.”
“It is not easy to sustain an award of this kind for 15 years, especially during this time of pandemic, and amid the economic crisis it has ushered,” said Hans B. Sicat, Managing Director-Country Manager, ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch. “We all deserve a collective pat on the back, and congratulate ourselves for another year where we get to toast to an outstanding CFO who has managed to rise above all.”