Christophe Vicic
Chairperson (Philippines)
Country Head, Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines, Inc.
Christophe Vicic
Christophe has over 35 years of professional experience. He has worked extensively for international corporations across Western and Eastern Europe, Pakistan, Middle East and
Africa and gain a wealth of multi-cultural experience. He holds an International Executive Master’s degree from London Business School. His current position is Country Head for JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) Philippines. Previously he was for 7 years with JLL Russia & CIS based in Moscow. Amongst his prior notable roles, he was International Director Europe for SIRVA managing the company in Europe, Scandinavia and former Eastern Europe. Prior to that he worked for 6 years for Millicom International Cellular SA. Starting as the CEO in Pakistan and subsequently in 1998 to the position of CEO for Africa, Russia/CIS and the Middle East region. Previously he worked for 9 years as Managing Director for DHL where he has managed companies in West Africa, Poland, Russia & CIS.
Jaime A. Cura, Ph.D.
Vice-Chairman of the RGV Group of Companies
Jaime A. Cura, Ph.D.
Jimmy Cura is currently Vice-Chairman of the RGV Group of Companies (a one-stop-shop for real estate appraisal, brokerage, development and management), Chairman and President of Neo Calapan Realty Corporation (a developer of mass housing and urban communities), Chief Executive Officer of CREBA Land Services & Title Warranty Corp., and consultant to several real estate development companies. Schooled in Manila, Philippines, and Boston, USA, he has served his country as a senior government official, and as chairman, president, or CEO of various businesses in engineering consulting, real estate development and management, tourism, financial and insurance services, newspaper and magazine publication, human resource development, and management consulting. He is a four-term past national president of the prestigious Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA), past president of the ASEAN Association for Planning and Housing (AAPH), and past executive director of the Consulting Engineers Council of the Philippines (CECOPHIL).
Raymond Rufino
Raymond Rufino
Raymond Rufino is currently the CEO of NEO, the largest Owner, Developer, and Manager of Green Net Zero office buildings in Southeast Asia. A longtime advocate for sustainability, he has led NEO to be the first in the world to receive EDGE Zero Carbon certification for a building portfolio. NEO is also the first office portfolio in Southeast Asia to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Seal. Its entire portfolio is certified 5 Stars under BERDE (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence), the country's national voluntary green building rating tool. He currently holds board positions with Urban Land Institute, WWF Philippines, ARISE Philippines, YPO Philippines, and the Philippine Green Building Council.
Carlo Cordaro
President & CEO, Atelier A
Carlo Cordaro
An Italian with a PhD in Economics, Carlo came to Cebu in 1995 as a consultant for Cebu Fil Veneer. He fell in love with the country’s natural materials and quickly moved up from consultant to the owner of CFVC. Deeper into the venture, he discovered his inherent gift in design. The Tropea Collection is the first of many designs where he utilized the natural beauty and functions of bamboo. Carlo has designed numerous collections since getting his inspiration from various sources as his place of birth, a childhood acquaintance, an elegant force of nature, a charming town from his roots, a life’s celebration. With a clientele vastly in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and the US, hotels and homes all over the globe are practically Carlo’s showroom. What’s next for Carlo remains an everlasting guess for his close relations and business contacts.
Jean Jacquelyn Nathania A. de Castro
Jean Jacquelyn Nathania A. de Castro
She is the CEO of ESCA Inc., a Filipino-owned full service Engineering Firm championing the use of technology in engineering design, project construction management and Building Information Modelling (BIM) services to local and foreign clients for almost 40 years. She is also the CEO of ESCA International Inc. (EII), a pioneer in engineering outsourcing services to international architectural and engineering firms.
Jean is the immediate past Chair of the Urban land Institute (ULI) Philippines and the first woman to lead the National Council in the Philippines. She is the only Filipino to have graduated from the Senior Executive Institute (SEI) Program of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in the United States. She is a CIAC Accredited Arbitrator and a FIDIC Certified Consulting Practitioner by FIDIC Credentialing Limited, the certification body for global consulting professionals.
She is a certified BIM Manager by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore and a certified Program Manager of the Philippines Constructors Association (PCA). She is an experienced litigator with extensive construction arbitration and commercial litigation experience from her years with Villaraza Cruz Marcelo and Angangco Law Offices and MOSVELDTT Law Offices. She is also a trained arbitrator of the Philippine Dispute and Resolution Center (PDRCI).
Cyndy Tan Jarabata
Chairperson (Philippines)
President, TAJARA Leisure & Hospitality Group Inc.
Cyndy Tan Jarabata
Cyndy Tan Jarabata has diverse experience extending 20 years in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry being involved in acquisition, hotel development, marketing and asset management. TAJARA is a leading hospitality consulting and development company working with investment firms and property developers in the Philippines, and serving clients in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, China and Thailand. Its in-depth knowledge and experience in mainstream and emerging markets guide owners and investors in making strategic decisions and provide local intelligence to facilitate the project’s development process. TAJARA also publishes 7107 Insider, a newsletter and blog, that guides stakeholders on hospitality, property and tourism investments in the Philippines.
Arch. Carmelo Casas
Arch. Carmelo Casas
Arch. Carmelo Casas’ international career started when he joined Eric Cumine Associates in August 1978 as assistant architect where he got involved in Harbour City projects. In 1980 he moved to Palmer and Turner (HK) as Design Architect where he got involved in major landmark projects in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia. He co-founded Recio+Casas (HK) Ltd. in Hong Kong in October 1988. Arch. Casas was responsible for major design projects in Hong Kong, Macao, and Mainland China. Together with Arch. Jose Pedro Recio, they set up a branch office in the Philippines in 1990 to spearhead their involvement as Design Consultant of the Pacific Plaza project, a pioneering high-rise luxury residential development in Ayala Avenue, Makati, having Arch. Arch. Casas is responsible for the design of major local projects such as the Bellagio Towers, Pacific Plaza Towers, St. Francis Towers, Grand Hyatt Hotel and Residences, The Icon, The Infinity Residential Towers, Resorts World Entertainment and Commercial Complex, Eastwood Mixed use development, One Shangri-la Place Towers and Solaire Resort and Casino Hotel to name a few.