Ayala, one of Asia’s oldest conglomerates, wants to keep itself together. Its CEO explains why

Cezar Consing, a non-family member, has been appointed as the CEO of Ayala Corporation, one of Asia's oldest conglomerates. The company's chair, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, called Consing into action after his brother, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, resigned due to health issues. Consing aims to keep the conglomerate together despite the trend towards corporate break-ups in the global business world.

He wants to demand more from the conglomerate's diverse portfolio, which includes banking, real estate, telecoms, and energy, to extract more shareholder value. Ayala has had a tough start to 2026, with record profits in the previous year dropping by 7%. However, Consing believes that conglomerates remain dominant in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, where they help fill gaps in business infrastructure.