De Ocampo named new PVB chairman

MANILA, Philippines - Former Finance Secretary Roberto “Bobby” F. de Ocampo has been named as the new chairman of Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB).

De Ocampo said his term marks a fresh new beginning for PVB, with the aim of revitalizing the medium-sized commercial bank to be an active major player in the banking industry, not just locally but globally as well.

A respected name in the business community, De Ocampo brings with him an exceptional track record in both the business and finance arenas here and abroad.

Aside from his stint at the Department of Finance, he was also president of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and chairman and CEO of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

He was awarded the Global Finance Minister of the Year in 1995 by Euromoney and Asian Finance Minister of the Year in 1996 and 1997 by Euromoney and Asiamoney, respectively.

De Ocampo was also the youngest DBP chairman and CEO. It was during his leadership that DBP was awarded the World’s Second Soundest and Third Best Performing Bank in 1991 by The Banker.

He is one of the most internationally recognized Filipinos, having chaired of the APEC and ASEAN Finance Ministers, and was a governor of the World Bank, IMF and ADB.

He is presently chairman of the board of advisers of the RFO Center for Public Finance & Regional Economic Cooperation, an ADB Regional Knowledge Hub.

During his stint as Finance Secretary, De Ocampo was credited for bringing the country’s fiscal position from large deficits to surplus and brought about the longest period of consecutive years of fiscal surpluses in the Philippines.

It was during also his term that the key features of the country’s investment liberalization and privatization strategies were designed and implemented.

A son of a Filipino World War II veteran, De Ocampo’s election as PVB Chairman was hailed by the veterans sector, particularly the Veterans Federation of the Philippines.

PVB is a medium-sized, private commercial bank in the Philippines owned by Filipino World War II veterans and their heirs. It caters to both corporate and retail financial markets and is also an authorized government depository bank.