Google names new Phl country manager

MANILA, Philippines - Technology giant Google has named a new country manager to lead the operations of the company in the Philippines.

Kenneth Lingan, a former executive of multinational company Unilever, will be the new country manager of Google Philippine, the tech giant said in a statement.

He replaced Narciso Reyes, who left the company earlier this year.

“(Lingan’s) 16 years of experience in marketing and brand development will be a real asset as we continue to grow our business from the Manila office” said Google’s managing director for Southeast Asia Julian Persaud.

Lingan previously served as Unilever’s Vice President for Deodorants in Southeast Asia and ANZ and Unilever Home and Personal Care in the Gulf Region. He is a graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Management Engineering.

“The Philippines is fast digitizing, and I am very much inspired by the possibilities that Google can bring our users, advertisers, and publishers here,” said Lingan.

“I’m delighted to be part of Google’s journey in the Philippines, helping to bring tools and products that make a meaningful impact in people’s lives and enabling businesses to make the most of the Internet to grow their enterprise,” he added.

Earlier, Persaud said Google’s office in Manila will continue to expand.

“We very positive about the Philippines. From a marketing perspective and from an investor’s perspective, Google is very bullish on the Philippines that’s why we continue hiring people,” he said.

 “We’re very pleased with the progress, and we’re excited about the opportunities in the Philippines because we know it’s an important market for the region. It’s (Philippines) still very solid in terms of its growth rates in much several areas, and in terms of consumer adoptions,” added the tech giant’s executive.