Three Pinays Named In “Kindness” Initiative

by Excel Dyquiangco / November 17, 2021

Three Pinays were named in the Asia Pacific Kindness & Leadership 50 Leading Lights list, a worldwide movement that recognizes professionals in their disciplines who have the ability to influence business culture and the industry in which they operate.

Ana Margarita “Ginggay” Hontiveros, Vice President of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc; Melissa Villa, Founder & Executive Director of Project PEARLS; and Nicole Tiamzon, Founder & Director of Spike and Serve Philippines Inc were recognized for their positive and “kinder” contributions to society. Hontiveros and Villa were dubbed as Asia Pacific Senior Leaders, while Tiamzon was hailed as one of the region’s Rising Stars.

“It is tremendously exciting to announce 50 Leading Lights, across both the UK and Asia Pacific regions,” said Pinky Lilani CBE DL, Founder, Women of the Future (WOF) Programme. “By placing a spotlight on phenomenal leaders who are harnessing the power of kindness to make a significant impact and to effect positive change, we collectively place kindness at the centre of the leadership debate. Together, we encourage the leaders of today and tomorrow – no matter what their role or background – to #leadwithkindness, because when kindness is the currency, we can all be millionaires.”

By shining a light on kindness, the initiative, which began in the UK in 2018, has shifted the leadership conversation, demonstrating a genuine and powerful connection between kind leadership and good business.

Together with the Said Business School, the University of Oxford, The Kindness & Leadership Leading Lights campaign has explored the characteristics associated with kind leaders. Those who are deeply thoughtful of others and show humanity, generosity, and compassion, and are dedicated to supporting the well-being of others and fostering a spirit of collaboration are the specific traits that were taken into consideration in selecting the 100 leading lights. Those recognized have also shown incredible value that kindness can add to their leadership toolkit and the resulting positive contribution to business, economy and broader society.

With COVID-19 changing the leadership landscape with compassion and empathy, now no longer the management style of ‘nice’ people, this initiative further embeds the importance of kindness within organizations across different regions demonstrating the power of kindness to transcend culture and national boundaries.

The distinguished panel were comprised of representatives from different industry across both UK & Asia Pacific regions: Vicki Treadell – British High Commissioner to Australia (Chair of Judging Panel); Dr Swati Piramal – Vice Chairman, Piramal Enterprises; Hugh Andrew – Managing Director, Blackrock Real Assets; Jo Tyndall – New Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore; Rupen Desai – Global Chief Marketing Officer, Dole Packaged Foods; and Bo Zhou – Partner and Senior Vice President, IHS Markit.

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