Daven Tamayo

Boardroom Tea:  Success in love and business for MEGA Prime Foods chief

Article (news)

Salve Duplito

ABS-CBN News

<div><strong>CENTRAL BANK CHIEF EARNS PRESTIGIOUS BANKING HONOR</strong></div><p>Big week for Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona as he became an honorary chartered banker by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) and as his study on whether small deposits run more than large ones, co-authored with two of my favorite economists Dante B. Canlas and Johnny Noet Ravalo, gains traction in academic circles.</p><p>The AICB Honorary Fellowship represents one of their most exclusive distinctions—think of it as the banking world&#x27;s equivalent of a lifetime achievement award. This recognition celebrates Remolona&#x27;s impressive work in strengthening ASEAN financial cooperation and his relentless push for policy innovation that actually makes sense. The Chartered Banker qualification itself is no joke—it&#x27;s a globally respected professional credential that banking executives spend years pursuing, jointly awarded by AICB and the UK&#x27;s Chartered Banker Institute.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1749041412833viber_image_2025-06-03_14-43-47-200.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px" alt="BSP Gov. Eli Remolona Jr and economist Dante Canlas. Courtesy: BSP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">BSP Gov. Eli Remolona Jr and economist Dante Canlas. <em>Courtesy: BSP</em></span></span></span></div><p>What makes this particularly satisfying is watching Remolona modernize the BSP while building stronger regional partnerships. It&#x27;s the kind of forward-thinking leadership that makes other central bank governors take notes during ASEAN meetings. Well-deserved recognition for someone who&#x27;s actually transforming how we think about monetary policy in Southeast Asia.</p><div><strong>POTATO CORNER&#x27;S RISING STAR STATUS (AND POSSIBLE IPO?)</strong></div><p>Potato Corner is now the second biggest brand under the umbrella of the SPAVI Group, the owner of Shakey&#x27;s, as revealed President Vic Gregorio during a recent closed-door session before PCCI-QC. &quot;Its potential is huge,&quot; he confidently declared. My boardroom tea sources whisper that a public listing might eventually materialize for Potato Corner—and frankly, the numbers support the speculation.</p><p>SPAVI just completed its buyout of Potato Corner franchisors in the US and is methodically standardizing operations worldwide.</p><p>Under Gregorio&#x27;s stewardship, SPAVI delivered an unprecedented 16 consecutive years of double-digit growth both in sales and profit—a streak that COVID rudely interrupted when the pandemic devastated food service businesses globally. But here&#x27;s where Gregorio&#x27;s brilliance shines: SPAVI bounced back with another four years of double-digit expansion.</p><p>The man who started washing dishes at Shakey&#x27;s possesses an almost supernatural ability to anticipate market shifts, consistently achieving what industry veterans deemed impossible. During that PCCI-QC event, he even surprised everyone—including himself—by attempting his first TikTok dance move. Who knew the executive would be so game in showing his dance moves? The dance may have been spontaneous, but his business instincts remain laser-sharp.</p><div><strong>GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION</strong></div><p>Happy 50th wedding anniversary to MEGA Prime Foods chairman William Tiu Lim and the vivacious Marylou!</p><p>Their romance reads like the Philippines&#x27; most successful business love story. William was juggling his father&#x27;s haberdashery business and electrical engineering studies when Marylou captured his attention. Her family&#x27;s fishing industry connections ignited his entrepreneurial curiosity—what began as courtship visits to understand their operations evolved into the foundation of today&#x27;s Mega empire.</p><p>Five decades later, their partnership has constructed one of the country&#x27;s most recognizable food brands. Mega Global now churns out up to 3 million sardine cans daily while providing livelihoods for over 5,000 Filipinos. As William once observed about the fishing industry: it demands unwavering daily focus and commitment. Apparently, building an enduring marriage requires identical dedication.</p><p>Here&#x27;s celebrating 50 years of love, partnership, and the remarkable journey from curiosity to culinary empire. Some couples grow old together—the Tiu Lims built a business dynasty while doing it.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:750px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17490414539912.jpg" style="width:750px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="MEGA Prime Foods chairman William Tiu Lim and his wife Marylou. Courtesy: Marvin Tiu Lim"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">MEGA Prime Foods chairman William Tiu Lim and his wife Marylou. <em>Courtesy: Marvin Tiu Lim</em></span></span></span></div><div><em>Boardroom Tea comes out every Wednesday.</em></div>

<p>William was juggling his father's haberdashery business and electrical engineering studies when Marylou captured his attention.</p>

William was juggling his father's haberdashery business and electrical engineering studies when Marylou captured his attention.

Boardroom Tea: Success in love and business for MEGA Prime Foods chief

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Boardroom Tea: Success in love and business for MEGA Prime Foods chief

Salve Duplito,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 04, 2025 10:00 PM PHT

|

Updated Jun 05, 2025 04:10 PM PHT

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ABSNews

Boardroom Tea

Salve Duplito

Business chatter

MEGA Prime Foods

BSP

Potato Corner

William Tiu Lim

Marylou Lim

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