He is survived by his wife of 61years Elizabeth, and children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia; his in-laws and grandchildren; brothers Eddie and James Go, sister . John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. was born on August 11, 1926, in Xiamen, Gulangyu Subdistrict, Republic of China, to John Gokongwei, Sr. (Go Kong Wei) and Juanita Mrquez Lim. The following year, JG Summit launched the green tea brand C2, thus revolutionizing the beverages market of the country, which was controlled by cola companies back then. In addition, Gokongwei named publicly-listed company Universal Robina Corporation after her. John Gokongwei was the son of a businessman who owned several movie theaters in the island province of Cebu. He tried to ask for a loan from several banks but to no avail. At the age of 93, Big John died surrounded by his family at the Manila Doctors Hospital on November 9, 2019. I try to put myself in his shoes, and I would do the same, says James. President and CEO of JG Summit Holdings Inc. Chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. He built a massive empire consisting of businesses in sectors such as food, beverage, clothing, aviation, telecommunications, banking, energy, petrochemicals, and livestock farming. He liked to take care of the family, the company and people.. John L. Gokongwei, Jr. lived a full and accomplished life, entrepreneurship was his lifelong passion and it was not about the money. He is the only son of John Gokongwei, Jr., one of the pillars of Philippine business, who passed away on November 9, 2019. This year, two of the Philippines' greatest taipans passed away, both peacefully. She was 85. After the war, Big John took it as a good opportunity to expand his trading business abroad. [He's] somebody who created somethingit was the center of his life. At the time of his death, John was the third-richest man in the Philippines, according to Forbes. This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 21:04. Im thinking of advising them to look into digital, he says. He checks his Bloomberg Terminal at home each weekday and has been weighing what JG Summit should do next. Another lesson in business: Always be humble, Mr. John admonished. John made JG Summit Holdings a publicly-listed holding company in November 1990. Her twin sisters, Faith and Hope, each have management roles there. [13], "Our world seemed to turn upside-down," Gokongwei said, as he faced the greatest challenge of his career. He eventually unloaded his stake. The airline is a subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, controlled by the Gokongwei family - one of the richest Filipino- Chinesefamilies based in the Philippines. He was a second cousin once removed of Andrew Gotianun Sr., the founder of Filinvest Development Corporation. He is also Chairman of Robinsons Retail Holdings, the Philippines second largest retailer; Vice Chairman of Manila Electric Company; and Chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), Inc. [3], Gokongwei is the only son of the late John Gokongwei Jr.[1] He,along with his siblings, are listed among the richest in the country. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. Justin recalled: Angkong told me that he was only 13 years old when he had to start working for the sake of the family., Justin also shared that in April or May this year, Gokongwei told him: I want to see you in the family business before I die. Other key JG Summit businesses, including land development, banking and petrochemicals (closely held with revenues of $415 million in 2015), are run by extended family members and professionals who arent at the Gokongwei Sunday lunches but convene with James, Lance, Lisa and Robina every Friday afternoon to thrash out corporate matters. He also owned Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. and Robinsons Land Corporation. Lance followed his fathers pattern: He recruited operating talent. My fathers words suddenly made things clear, this was not about money anymore. UIC controls Singapore Land, one of the biggest property landlords in Singapore. All the Gokongwei children work actively for their family business group. He was 93 years old at the time of his death. The list was composed of four philanthropists each from 13 selected countries and territories in Asia. (Although James says his retirement wont be total retirementI will still be around as executive chairman. Since then, Big John was unstoppable as he built one of the Philippines biggest business empires, the JG Summit. He was 93. So, he saved up and was able to reach nearby towns to sell it. He told me it was the least he could do for someone who had done so much for the Philippines. Lance Yu Gokongwei (born 23 November 1966) is President and CEO of JG Summit Holdings Inc., one of the largest Filipino conglomerates,[1] with interests in food (Universal Robina), air transport (Cebu Pacific), real estate and property development (Robinsons Land Corp.), banking (Robinsons Bank), and petrochemicals (JG Summit Olefins Corp.)[1][2] He also has a stake in Robinsons Retail, one of Philippines' largest retailers, which was started by his father as a department store in 1980. James got accepted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a degree in chemical engineering. Patrick recalled, I distinctly remember this discussion because my father was loudly trying to convince Mr. John not to do it anymore. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Lance Gokongwei is the president and chief operating officer of JG Summit Holdings. 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. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. But fambiz can succeed despite the odds, according to fambiz expert Dr. Queena N. Lee-Chua. [14], In December 2022, Gokongwei announced his resignation as President and CEO of Cebu Pacific. 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. Big John found an interest in the cornstarch business but didnt have enough funds. Bygones might be bygonesSan Miguels chief, Ramon Ang, calls the Gokongweis one of the smartest families in the Philippines todaybut when I try to win over Gokongwei with his favored snack, handing him a pouch of peanuts, he bristles, noting the brandSan Miguel. In the early 1950s, John started importing cigarettes and whiskey, too. Using a small boat, he would trade goods from Cebu to Manila and vice versa. Justin smiled, saying: We talked about coffee and dating. None of the events that happened in our familys lives would have happened without you. Gotiaoco arrived in Cebu in the 1870s from Fujian province in China. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I was then still working for Shell Philippines. It offered a detailed account of Johns life and struggles. (Originally entitled "Mr. John Gokongwei on Charter Change") by Ducky Paredes (article from August of 2006) Mr. John, as his corporate family fondly refers to John Gokongwei, has always been known for being a practical businessman. Pedro Gotiaoco was a peddler who settled in Cebu after migrating from Fujian, China. On behalf of the third generation, and as your employee, we promise to keep your legacy shining brightly. The cornstarch plant he started in 1957 has grown into Universal Robina Corporation, one of the country's largest food and beverage. 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. John Gokongwei's Nine Rules of Success. I was really shocked that someone who was 78 could beat me in swimming. Gemma Cruz Araneta, the first Filipina Miss International in 1964, is a Rizal descendant, the first major beauty contest winner Its the time of year when first cousins who once moved to the other side of the world come for a visit. The Palace expresses its deep condolences to the family, the surviving wife Elizabeth, children Lance, Robina, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia, friends and colleagues of Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr.. He took a loan of 500 thousand pesos from Albino Sycip, who was the chairman of China Bank back then, and Dee K. Chiong. Until October John Gokongwei would participate in these executive committee meetings, but after a brief illness he stopped coming to the office. From there Cebu Pacific was born. His strong resolve towards life made him successful and become one of the richest men in the. Gokongwei was honored by PeopleAsia magazine as one of its People of the Year awardees in 2006. In March 1996, Cebu Pacific Air began operations. John Gokongwei My great-great-grandfather lived to age 28, my immigrant great-grandfather Pedro Gotiaoco died at 66, my grandfather was 68, and my father died at 34. Through his efficient and competitive businesses, the visionary Gokongwei brought down prices for consumers with his budget airline, affordable foods, and unli-texts and unli-calls for cellphones. the passing of Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr. He queried in Hokkien: Do you think I can still work up to 90? Many people dream of retiring early, while this hardworking entrepreneur was asking if he could still work up to 90! Every Sunday afternoon John Gokongwei Jr.s six adult children and sometimes all 12 grandchildren gather at the patriarchs home in Pasig, a city in Metro Manila, for lunch and a session of tsismis (gossip). John and Elizabeth had first met when John was still a small-time importer of second-hand goods and owned a tiny store in Cebu. 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