Green thumb nurtures Philips mobile business

Seeing him clad in jeans, wearing a ready smile and talking on his Xenium cell phone, one would not think that Philips Consumer Communication’s (PCC) new general manager Angelo Valenton spends his downtime hunched over his backyard garden pruning plants and making dish gardens.

But gardening is the latest among the many hobbies the new Philips GM is indulging in nowadays. With a tan to show for it, Angelo says he’s particularly into landscaping and making bonsai trees.

"Usually the bonsais don’t come out as beautifully as expected, but the fun in it for me is in the process of shaping them. Plus, I always have a good laugh when I show them to my friends and they say things like, I should water my plants more often," he says with a chuckle.

Angelo has always loved the outdoors — dabbling in photography, breeding Labradors, teaching rock-climbing or setting up camp. His major influence was his wife, Lady Ann, who was a mountaineer during her college days.

His current fascination with plants, however, is a testament to Angelo’s "nurturing" side. He hopes that like his garden, he’ll be able to "grow" PCC’s business with a formula that will put Philips phones on the top of mind of consumers and deliver value to both Philips and its customers.

‘Surprise-me attitude’

With the crowded and "dog-eat-dog" mobile phone industry in the country, Angelo has his hands full in trying to achieve business objectives for Philips’ top-of-the-line cell phones: the high-end Xenium, mid-range Azalis and Ozeo, and entry-level Savvy.

To do this, the company is set to launch new models and mobile Internet solutions, including ringer downloads, downloadable games and magic messaging – a technology that will allow Philips mobile phone customers to send and receive animated "iconimations" combining text, graphics and sounds. New ways of marketing, distribution management and partnerships are also crucial to putting things together to move the business forward.

Backing up Angelo in marketing PCC’s phones and other communication products is a young, dynamic team already familiar with his "surprise-me-kind-of-attitude" management style.

"In my new appointment, I am expected to do better than my predecessor, otherwise, I’m not adding value to my position. I always try to achieve excellent results, set the pace. There is a great need to be creative, explore new ways of doing things and innovate to achieve your goals in this kind of business. More importantly, I have a lot of respect for the people I work with," says Angelo.

For the De La Salle marketing management graduate, working in an atmosphere of stress and tension is a big no-no in PCC. "I don’t like it that my group is not comfortable working with me nor with their work. We maintain a highly active but relaxed atmosphere in the workplace. I always believe that each employee has so much to offer, and it’s matter of getting that person coached well and motivated enough to maximize his or her potential."

He added: "In Philips, everyone is really focused on the demands of the job. We create ways of working that allow continuous flow of ideas. Work has to be optimally productive but, at the same time, interesting, fun and meaningful."

Angelo has already taken his staff wall-climbing and building low-cost houses for Habitat for Humanity. Last year, he spearheaded the company’s "A Light for a Life" charity program, which benefited the orphans of Caritas Manila.

Teacher wannabe

The PCC main man’s way of managing his people comes from his frustration to teach. "I wanted to teach, but never got to. I really enjoy the interaction that goes on in the classroom. I want to teach so I can learn. There is a lot of collaborative work involved. Right now, I’m taking my long-overdue master’s in Ateneo (Regis MBA, a program for senior executives), so my longing to teach was revived."

Between his work and studies though, Angelo never loses sight that family is priority. "Interaction with the kids at home everyday is always fun and meaningful. On weekends, the family usually goes out to try different types of leisure and experiences. I take leaves to be with the kids during special moments at school and take my ‘girlfriend’ Lady Ann out on dates every so often."

As the new GM, Angelo ponders the mark he would want to leave behind. "I want to have a positive impact on people. I get a great sense of satisfaction when I see that I was a factor in helping them achieve new milestones, develop new skills, realize their full potential."

He then waxes nationalistic. "You know, the Filipino, if he really wants to, can be such an excellent worker and can cross swords with any national any day. When I interact with foreigners, I make it a point to leave a strong and good impression of Filipinos."

No doubt that for this avid gardener-cum-general manager, Angelo has got his hands full. From a green thumb to hopefully, a Midas touch that turn every opportunity into gold, Philips Consumer Communications has tapped the right man to lead the mobile phone business to even greater heights.