Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr. November 14, 2019. When John was 13 years old, his father died suddenly due to typhoid fever. Ten years later, he completed Harvard Business Schools 14-week advanced management program. The Chippy pillow was a product that we sold at Toys R Us last year, along with the Chiz Curls pillow. Tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. (Photo courtesy of JG Summit Holding Inc.) MANILA-- Malacaang expressed its deep condolences to the family of tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. who passed away on Saturday night, remembering him for his "substantial contributions to the country's growth and development.". Ive come to love and enjoy drinking coffee ever since.. Years of hard work, discipline and brilliant strategic thinking made the entrepreneur into the countrys undisputed Snack Foods King with his Jack n Jill brands, a visionary industrialist and founder of many other progressive enterprises under JG Summit Holdings, Inc. Gokongwei pioneered the budget airline concept, which made Philippine airline travel affordable, with Cebu Pacific Air. We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. We were in Rome, Italy then, it was just house coffee and tasted so bitter. He eventually unloaded his stake. Because they needed to escape the turmoil in China, they migrated to the province of Cebu here in Philippines where his grandfather Pedro Gotiaoco operated a successful chain of movie houses. She was 85. One day he noticed that my grades were slipping. He never gave up in what he believed in, always took risks, and continuously learned new things. Careers His grandfather was a wealthy immigrant from China who became the patriarch of a clan that now controls some of the largest companies in the Philippines. Under Big Johns leadership, he launched Universal Corn Products (now Universal Robina Corporation), Consolidated Food Corporation (later CFC Corporation), JG Summit Holdings, Cebu Pacific Air, Robinson Retail Holdings, and more. That there was more than enough money and that they should rest already that was his argument. Gokongwei's youngest brother, JG chairman, James Go received 174,942 shares. His remains will be at Heritage Park, Taguig City, until Thursday. https://investment.fwd.com.ph/experts/asia-s-business-leaders-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them. I admired them as inspiring business heroes who are positive role models for their Confucian values, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. A A. In family conversation, it was never "John Gokongwei." He was always fondly referred to as "Iya" while his mother Juanita, half-sister to my grandfather Jose Asensi Marquez Lim, was . Lucio Tan had to sell his mill to us, says Gokongwei of his established rival. With his money, Big John founded his cornstarch manufacturing company, Universal Corn Products, in 1954. In 1939 and at the age of 34, John died after contracting typhoid, leaving behind a 31-year-old widow and six childrenand unfortunately, alarmed creditors worried that his theater chain would fail without him. URC became one of the leading food and beverage companies in the country. The PLDT group later bought the company for $1.7 billion. Elizabeth Yus father owned a hardware store there. But as for the second question, Ill get to that much later. Im thinking of advising them to look into digital, he says. He is survived by his wife, six children and at least 12 grandchildren. I couldnt have said it any better. Elizabeth tolerates that in order to keep him away from the lechon (roasted pork) and ice cream that he wants most. This was very tiring, but he endured it all to send his siblings to school in China. Mrs. Gokongwei was characterized by her children as a selfless mother who always put her family first and described her as the reason behind John Gokongwei's success. He was a second cousin once removed of Andrew Gotianun Sr., the founder of Filinvest Development Corporation. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This week brought the passing of John Gokongwei Jr. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". You give birth to it, you nurture it, you raise it through problems, crisis, good times, bad times. [7] In 2004, the company introduced C2, a ready-to-drink tea that went head-to-head with foreign cola companies that dominated the beverage sector in the Philippines. Contact Us Be No. The Bachelor of Science in Management major in Communications Technology Management Program is a 4 year degree (including 3 summer semesters) program of the John Gokongwei School of Management. Gokongwei was one of two remarkable rags-to-riches business tycoons, the other one being Henry Sy Sr., whom Ive known for over three decades and considered a friend since I was a college student. So, he saved up and was able to reach nearby towns to sell it. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Gokongwei Family in Cebu, 1938. Powered by. Gokongwei is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth, and his children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia; siblings Eddie, James Go and Lily; in-laws and grandchildren. My thay-kong (Hokkien for great-grandpa) wasnt able to prepare well for his succession in the case of my grandfather, who was his eldest son. . If theres one thing that I wish could happen, its that he still would have been here to see his grandchildren graduate from college and have good careers. When he died, Big John was the third-richest person in the Philippines, according to Forbes. In 1957 Gokongweis business was getting bogged down by import controls that made it difficult to obtain licenses. He was a pioneer and staunch advocate of Philippine industrialization. Robina Y. Gokongwei-Pe is the eldest child John Gokongwei Jr., founder and Chairman Emeritus of the publicly-listed company JG Summit Holdings Inc. (JGSHI). On Gokongweis pioneering heavy industry project of petrochemicals for the Philippines, Go said: One of our guests last night found out that I was handling petrochemicals and told me this was Mr. Johns baby and he was very proud of it. That was one week before he passed. I was nine then, and hed make beating me look so damn easy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Lance followed his fathers pattern: He recruited operating talent. The airline is a subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, controlled by the Gokongwei family - one of the richest Filipino- Chinesefamilies based in the Philippines. The line is repeated by Tonythis time as hologramto his daughter at his funeral. My mom only spoke half of it in her eulogy three days ago. His father, John Jr., established JG Summit Holdings Inc., while his mother, Elizabeth, was a founding member of Robinsons Department Store. Yesterday morning, Friday, at Heritage Park in Taguig City, Justin Pe paid his last respects to his departed grandfather, the industrialist John Gokongwei Jr. with a heartfelt eulogy both touching and funny. On dating, Angkong actually asked me: Do you have a girlfriend? I replied: No. He then advised me: Alright, play around, play around., What were Gokongweis pieces of advice to his grandson? I used to visit Angkong a lot at the office when i was still in school. The conversations are private and, of course, summaryJohn Gokongwei retired from the company 15 years ago, becoming chairman emeritus as his brother, James L. Go, took over formal leadership. We decided to put the same pillow with him now because we know it will provide comfort for him if he knew that that one of his bestselling snacks would go with him to the beyond. At the age of 93, Big John died surrounded by his family at the Manila Doctors Hospital on November 9, 2019. Malacaang on Sunday expressed its deep condolences to the Gokongwei family. The Filipino billionaire is known as the founder of JG Summit Holdings, one of the Philippines' largest conglomerates. While part of Gokongweis office at the Robinsons Equitable Tower in the Ortigas district of Pasig showcases photographs of him with the likes of former president Benigno Aquino III and Imelda Marcos, Gokongwei says hes stayed away from political entanglements. By the time the U.S. retook control of the Philippines, he had saved enough to travel to America for secondhand goodsused shoes, used clothing, used newspapers, any used remnantsto sell at a small storefront he rented in Cebu. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Johns great-grandfather, who was a trader from China, was one of the Philippines's most influential Chinese Filipinos. Back then, when I was a little boy, Angkong always beat me in swimming. He attempted a $1 billion takeover of United Industrial Corporation Ltd (UIC), a property giant from Singapore of which he owned in excess of 30%. John Gokongweis Life & Success Story: From Selling Peanuts To Building A Business Empire, timeless business lessons we can learn from Big John, 4 Tips On How To Start Your Own Takoyaki Business. His conglomerate company JG Summit Holdings, Inc., had an extensive panoply of business and investment holdings across the Filipino economy, including shipping, telecommunications, retail, financial services, petrochemicals, utilities, aviation, food, beverages, and livestock farming. He prepared by reading Nuts!, a book by former Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. In my case, I have trained and carefully prepared my son Lance to be a good successor. The Filipino tycoon is most known for being the founder and former chairman of JG Summit, one of the countrys largest conglomerates. In 1961, he established Consolidated Food Corporation (later known as CFC Corporation, which later merged with Universal Robina Corporation), which launched its instant coffee brand Blend 45. Together the brothers expanded into new business ventures as the elder, intuitive Gokongwei saw opportunities and James kept a detailed eye on the balance sheet, R&D and quality control. However, his companies later dominated other sectors, such as travel, petrochemicals, energy, and banking, too. The book also included the Nine Rules of achieving success in business that John had followed. Initially, he dealt in second-hand goods imported from the U.S., but after his family joined in, he started dealing in beverages and cigarettes, too. He came from Fujian province in China and owned a huge trading company, Gotiaoco Hermanos. In speeches hes recalled being driven by a chauffeur and living in a big house. Life changed suddenly and drastically when Gokongwei was 13 and his father died of typhoid fever. The company was later renamed Universal Robina Corporation. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei, Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; born Go Ek-hui) is a Filipino business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. When he saw his grandfather, the boy asked why were his parents were making him work that summer job? Let me talk about other things first. [14], In December 2022, Gokongwei announced his resignation as President and CEO of Cebu Pacific. Thanks for your feedback to [emailprotected]. I was really shocked that someone who was 78 could beat me in swimming. John died on November 9, 2019, at the Manila Doctors Hospital, Manila, Philippines. Still, in 1999 president Joseph Erap Estrada filed a 101 million pesos ($2.6 million then) libel lawsuit against the familys Manila Times, then run by Robina, after the newspaper called Estrada an unwitting godfather for approving a disputed power contract. The cornstarch plant he started in 1957 has grown into Universal Robina Corporation, one of the country's largest food and beverage. Gokongwei married Mary Joyce "Jay" Leong in a wedding ceremony in Hawaii in 2000. whatever it takes. I told my son that he should study well and work very hard, or else an enterprising immigrant youth now in 168 Mall might someday take over that seat of yours.. To this day, my cousins and I still play mahjong every Sunday lunch, but I guarantee that none of us could match the sharpness that both my Amah and Angkong had when it comes to mahjong. When your age hits 70 sometimes you feel totally ignorant, no matter how intelligent you used to be. Privacy But in the end, it was his family that made John Gokongwei live a happy and content life. Born in Fujian, China, and raised in . Even though he had to stop schooling in his teenage years to support his family, he always understood the value of having a good education. [12] His only son, Lance, currently leads the group as president and CEO of JG Summit. Justin, who said he just joined the family business four months ago, also thanked Mr. John for teaching him humility, how to ride a bike, and to play around. For what he exactly meant, below is Justins full eulogy courtesy of the Gokongwei family. Gokongwei used his bicycle to trade goods through checkpoints across towns. Were not there yet, like Alibaba. JG Summit grew to $135 million by 1993, when it listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, and then $1.8 billion by its 50th anniversary in 2007. All the Gokongwei children work actively for their family business group. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; 11 August 1926 - 9 November 2019) was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. Lance Gokongwei is the president and chief operating officer of JG Summit Holdings. By 1957, John realized that trading would not earn him much profits. Gokongwei was honored by PeopleAsia magazine as one of its People of the Year awardees in 2006. [6] He pointed at me and called me, and in his grungy voice, asked me directly without blinking: How are our coffee sales? I responded: Were doing much better this month Angkong! Gokongwei stated that entrepreneurship is a way out of poverty. John was about 23 or 24 and Elizabeth was 17 when they fell in love. At the time, it was the nation's worst air disaster. It's hard to imagine many consumer products and services today without thinking of John Gokongwei Jr. The Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist died Saturday night, Nov. 9, 2019 at the age of 93 surrounded by family at the Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila.. His status as the country's third richest businessman, with a wealth of $5.3 billion according to Forbes magazine was . Much later, in 1977, he obtained an MBA degree from the De La Salle University in Manila. The eldest grandson of John L. Gokongwei, Jr. and son of Robinsons Retail Holdings president Robina Gokongwei-Pe, the New York University-educated, 24-year-old Justin G. Pe shared his. [7] The following year, he partnered with Japan's Calbee and France's Danone for potato chips and beverages respectively. Yet after seven years of operating at a loss, Digitel was sold in a share swap in 2011 to Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), one of the countrys two telecom giants (JG Summit now owns an 8% stake). I'm Cebuano. Hisgreat-grandfather(18591921; simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: WWnzho; Peh-e-j: GBnthiu),a young peddler from China, was HispanizedasPedroSingsonGotiaoco(simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; Peh-e-j: G-thiu-ko) and became one of the Philippines' most prominent Chinese Filipinos. His siblings then joined his business. In 1977, Gokongwei earned his Master of Business Administration from De La Salle University. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. Lance is the president and CEO of JG Summit. [15] Exactly one week after his death, his widow Elizabeth Yu Gokongwei died at the age of 85.[16][17]. We need hard work, perseverance, innovation, courage, and total dedication. We need hard work, perseverance, innovation, courage, and total dedication. Founded in 1957 by patriarch John Gokongwei Jr., the 65 year-old Gokongwei . I told him, Angkong, I was told to socialize more to not be so torpe and not be such a nerd. To which he replied: Id rather you be a nerd. Just goes to show how back then, and even now, being smart is truly the new sexy. Established in 1992, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has for the past three decades "equipped learners with the tools they need to grow and develop as well-rounded members of the community. Because once when I lived in the US, I came across a wheelchair-bound columnist who wrote about his life. John donated 200 million pesos to an undergraduate management school in 2002. He said, Choose to be an entrepreneur because then you desire a life of adventure, endless challenge, and the opportunity to be your best self.. With a loan of 500 thousand pesos from Albino Sycip, then chairman of China Bank, and Dee K. Chiong, he started a corn milling plant producing glucose and corn starch. In November 1990, Gokongwei incorporated JG Summit Holdings as a publicly listed holding company. He took a loan of 500 thousand pesos from Albino Sycip, who was the chairman of China Bank back then, and Dee K. Chiong. His other. Some people have said: Part of the journey is the end.. 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