Zobel de Ayala, Aragon-GoBio among Forbes Asia’s 2025 Power Businesswomen

Two Filipinas have been named to Forbes Asia’s 2025 Power Businesswomen list, which recognizes 20 female leaders reshaping the region’s corporate landscape.

Ayala Corp. Managing Director Mariana Beatriz E. Zobel de Ayala, an eighth-generation member of one of the Philippines’ oldest business families, was cited for her leadership in the leasing and hospitality units of Ayala Land, Inc. She also serves as president of Ayala Malls, one of the country’s largest retail chains.

Joining her on the list is Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio, president and chief executive officer of Robinsons Land Corp. She is the first woman and nonfamily executive to head the Gokongwei-led property arm of JG Summit Holdings, Inc.

Ms. Aragon-GoBio is steering Robinsons’ P125-billion expansion over the next five years, including a push to “premiumize” its brands.

“The women on this year’s Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen list are not just adapting to change but actively shaping the future of the region’s business landscape,” Forbes Asia Editorial Director Rana Wehbe Watson said in a statement.

“Some are forging paths in hot sectors like data centers, semiconductors and rare earths, while others are guiding their family businesses to new heights,” she added. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz