Rivals by day, partners by night: JAZA on competition and collaboration
While they may be fierce rivals in their respective industries, businesses joining forces when it matters most is what makes being part of an organization like the Makati Business Club (MBC) truly special for tycoon Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.
In the business world, competitors often find themselves working together when it matters most, according to Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, also known as JAZA. As a tycoon and chairman of the country's oldest conglomerate, Ayala Corp., JAZA views other businesses as rivals in the marketplace but partners in driving progress. Speaking at the 45th anniversary celebration of the Makati Business Club (MBC), JAZA emphasized the importance of competition in encouraging innovation, improving efficiency, and providing better products and services for consumers.
However, he also believes that businesses should work together where it makes sense, recognizing that there are areas where collaboration creates greater value for everyone.
JAZA, who has deep ties to the MBC, shared that the organization has been a part of who he is today, having been founded by his uncle and with his father serving as a long-time trustee. The tycoon has found not only business and advocacy partners in the MBC but also good friends, sharing that it helped him build business friendships early in life after studying abroad.
As the Philippines enters consequential years in a dynamic, fragmented, and unpredictable global environment, JAZA highlighted the importance of identifying practical areas where business interests converge, particularly when it comes to the long-term development of the country. He noted that while companies will have different interests and conflicting views on policy, they can agree on many first principles and identify opportunities for collective progress.
JAZA stressed the need for the business community to be deliberate about the kind of nation they want to build and the contribution the sector wants to make toward it, especially as global companies diversify their supply chains and new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, rapidly disrupt traditional trade flows and supply chains.
He also emphasized the impact of climate change on the country's development trajectory and the importance of translating underlying strengths into sustained and broadly shared progress.
Written by urgent.news from Philippine Star Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
