Robina Gokongwei-Pe’s ‘retirement’ plans

Tycoon Robina Gokongwei-Pe, sports patron of the University of the Philippines’ Fighting Maroons, said she now has more time to watch the UAAP games. She announced months ago that she would be stepping down as president and CEO of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc.

RRHI veteran Stanley Co will succeed Robina as she moves to her new role as the company’s chairman of the board, taking over from her brother Lance Gokongwei.

When I asked why she would be retiring her prexy and CEO duties, Robina jested that it’s because she wants to be able to watch all the UAAP games and not just a few.

Of course with Robina, you don’t know when she’s joking or not but then it’s really no secret that she’s an avid UP sports patron. And while the leadership changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, as early as now, it seems Robina indeed has already more time on her hands.

Last week, she led the signing of RRHI’s renewal of its 15-year sponsorship of the UP men’s basketball team held at the UP Executive House in Diliman. The deal was signed with UP’s Nowhere To Go But Up. UP’s indefatigable president, Angelo Jimenez, was there, too. Perhaps, like in a marriage, it’s a sort of renewal of vows. And why not? The journey’s been good after all.

At the signing ceremony, Robina looked more relaxed indeed and visibly excited for yet another UAAP Season.

Changing retail landscape

On a more serious note, Robina said she would have more time to study the ever evolving retail landscape and conceptualize more products and formats for RRHI.

Alapaap sa UAAP

Three days after, on Saturday, UP, the host of UAAP Season 87, set the tone for the season with legendary rock band Eraserheads headlining the opening ceremonies and turning the Araneta Coliseum into a mini-concert and Gen-Xers reunion. UP’s victory against the Ateneo Blue Eagles later that day completed the first day high.

Congratulations UP and best of luck to all the teams from all the participating universities!

Don Enrique Zobel’s desk

Speaking of tycoons, here’s a story about the late Don Enrique Zobel or EZ.

When his longtime assistant Joan Orendain first saw the tycoon after his spinal cord injury, Joan said she was shocked and was on the verge of tears.

Upon seeing this, Don Enrique tried to stop Joan’s tears by saying in jest, “You know how I found out I couldn’t move? This buxom nurse leaned over me a few inches above my face. Of course, I attempted to reach for her wonderful breasts when I discovered I couldn’t move. There was a mirror on the ceiling, and with that, I suddenly realized, I was quadriplegic.”

Of course, Joan laughed at the story but the tears came anyway, seeing her boss paralyzed in a hospital bed in Makati Med. This was sometime after his accident in May 1991. Don Enrique was paralyzed neck down until his death in 2004.

Joan met the tycoon sometime during the martial law years when she worked for the Ayala Group, eventually becoming his longtime assistant. He gave Joan a fancy office and later on, bequeathed to her his office table.

Joan tells this story:

“In our new offices, EZ, in his interior-designed office, had a much bigger new desk. He gave me his lovely former desk of dark narra with two-toned inlays on each of its six drawers – truly unique, it may be the only desk of its design in the country.”

Many important deals had been struck at this desk, Joan said.

After all, she said, her boss was the country’s top business executive during his time. It was he who spearheaded the formation of the Makati Business Club to give Big Business a voice during martial law.

“It’s safe to say that a lot of important transactions took place on it. After all, this is the man who built the Sultan’s 1,772-room, two-gold-domed palace in Brunei. All I remember now, since I was present, was his putting in 17 percent into Raul Locsin’s BusinessWorld newspaper,” Joan said.

Other rare finds

As a journalist covering business and the country’s tycoons, I found this story very interesting, and where else would I learn of such quirky tales but from auction house León Gallery.

It’s that time of the year and León is having its Magnificent September Auction which includes this particular desk that once belonged to Don Enrique.

Joan has decided to put it on auction as she would be moving to the province.

I imagine that lovers of age-old wood would surely be interested in the desk and even more so because of the man who, once upon a time, sat behind it. I imagine that some of the biggest business deals he made on it still have vestiges in today’s business environment.

‘Under the Mango Tree’

There are many other rare finds to be auctioned off but perhaps the most interesting piece is the 1929 “Under the Mango Tree” by the genius Fernando Amorsolo from the collection of Edward J. Nell, touted as the “Father of Philippine Airconditioning.”

I’m guessing the art collectors, including Filipino tycoons, would surely be interested in this masterpiece. There’s also a Jackson Pollock-influenced piece by Alfonso Ossorio of the Ossorio family who is behind legacy sugar giant Victoria’s Milling Corp.

The stories are endless as they are varied and they will surely unfold as these rare collectibles go under the hammer on Sept. 14.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.