Sm Investments' Will Howell: Navigating The Philippines' Post-Pandemic Economy

SM Investments Corporation (SMIC), also known as SM Group, is a Filipino conglomerate founded by Henry Sy. It is one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines, with interests in various sectors, including shopping mall development and management, retail, real estate, banking, and tourism. SMIC has grown significantly since its inception, now boasting 208 stores nationwide, including SM Department Stores, SM Supermarkets, and SM Hypermarkets. The company has a strong focus on sustainability and has been recognised as a top-rated sustainability company in Asia Pacific. William Charles Howell is a Vice President-Investments Portfolio at SM Investments Corp.

William Charles Howell is the Vice President of Investment Portfolio at SM Investments Corp

The company operates through three main segments: Property, Retail, and Financial Services & Others. Under the Property segment, SM Investments is involved in mall development and management, as well as residential and commercial real estate ventures. Their Retail segment encompasses the wholesale and retail trading of various merchandise, including dry goods, wearing apparel, and food items. The Financial Services & Others segment engages in asset management, capital investment, and financial services through associated companies.

SM Investments has a strong presence in the Philippines' retail landscape, with well-known brands such as SM Department Stores, SM Supermarkets, and SaveMore. They have also diversified their portfolio by investing in ventures like BDO Unibank, ChinaBank, and Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation.

As the Vice President of Investment Portfolio, William Charles Howell plays a crucial role in guiding the company's investment strategies and decisions. He contributes to the overall growth and success of SM Investments, ensuring that their capital-intensive property and banking businesses reinvest their earnings effectively to fuel further expansion. Howell's expertise and leadership in investment portfolio management are instrumental in driving SM Investments' continued success and dominance in the Filipino market.

SM Investments Corp. is a holding company engaged in financial services, retail, banking and property development in the Philippines

SM Investments Corporation (SMIC), also known as the SM Group, is a Filipino conglomerate founded by Henry Sy in 1960. It is one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines and is engaged in financial services, retail, banking, and property development.

SM Investments operates through three main segments: Property, Retail, and Financial Services & Others. The Property segment includes mall development, residential and commercial development, as well as hotels and convention centers operations. The Retail segment involves the wholesale and retail trading of various merchandise, including dry goods, wearing apparel, food, and other goods. The Financial Services & Others segment focuses on asset management, capital investment, and financial services through associated companies.

SM Investments has a strong presence in the retail sector, with 208 stores nationwide, including SM Department Stores, SM Supermarkets, SM Hypermarkets, and SaveMore branches. The company has repeatedly ranked as the top Philippine company in the Forbes Global 2000 and has been recognized for its sustainability efforts.

The company's property development arm, SM Development Corporation (SMDC), focuses on premium middle-market residential properties, such as SM Residences and MPlace. SM's financial services include BDO Unibank, one of the largest banks in the Philippines, and ChinaBank, the first privately-owned local commercial bank in the country.

SM Investments has a diverse range of investments and affiliations, including equity investments in premium commercial buildings, leisure, logistics, food, and mining. The company also has a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility through initiatives such as SM Cares and SM Foundation.

The company was founded by Henry Sy, Sr. in 1960 and is headquartered in Pasay, Philippines

SM Investments, or SM Investments Corp., is a holding company founded by Henry Sy, Sr. on January 15, 1960. The company is headquartered in Pasay, Philippines.

Sy was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He was born in Fujian, China, in 1924 and moved to the Philippines with his family at the age of 12. After World War II, his family returned to China, but Sy stayed in the Philippines, where he completed his secondary education and earned a degree in commercial studies.

Sy first ventured into the shoe business in 1958, selling surplus GI boots and eventually opening his own small shoe store called ShoeMart in Quiapo, Manila. Over the years, he expanded his business and, in 1967, acquired Acme Savings Bank, which he renamed Banco de Oro. He also ventured into the retail and wholesale trading of merchandise, as well as real estate development.

Today, SM Investments is one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines, with interests in malls, residences, offices, hotels, convention centers, banking, and more. The company has been frequently recognised as one of the best-managed companies in the Philippines.

SM Investments Corp. is the largest company in the Philippines in terms of market capitalization

SM Investments Corporation (SMIC), also known as the SM Group, is a Filipino conglomerate with interests in various sectors, including shopping mall development and management, retail, real estate development, banking, and tourism. It is the largest company in the Philippines in terms of market capitalization and has repeatedly ranked as the top Philippine company in the Forbes Global 2000.

SM Investments Corp. was founded by Henry Sy, Sr. on January 15, 1960, and is headquartered in Pasay, Philippines. Sy's first company, ShoeMart (SM), was a small shoe store in Carriedo, Manila, that he opened in 1958. He initially focused on buying large supplies of shoes from the United States, but soon expanded into a department store. He then set up his second company, SM Department Store Inc., and began selling stocks to department stores.

SM Investments Corp. operates as a holding company and is engaged in financial services, retail, banking, and properties in the Philippines. The firm operates through the following segments: Property, Retail, and Financial Services & Others. The Property segment is involved in mall, residential and commercial development, hotels, and convention center operations. The Retail segment engages in the retail and wholesale trading of merchandise, such as dry goods, wearing apparel, food, and other merchandise. The Financial Services & Others segment engages in asset management and capital investments.

SM Investments Corporation has a diverse range of investments and affiliations, including:

• SM Markets, a chain of food retail stores consisting of SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore.
• SM Stores, a department store.
• Walter Mart, a shopping mall owned by a joint venture between SM and a local company.
• Alfamart, a convenience store owned by a joint venture between SM and an Indonesian company.
• Specialty Stores, including leading local retail chains such as Ace Hardware, SM Appliances, Toy Kingdom, Uniqlo, and more.
• BDO Unibank, one of the largest banks in the Philippines.
• ChinaBank, the first privately-owned local commercial bank in the Philippines (SM owns 30% of the company).
• SM Supermalls, operated by its subsidiary, SM Prime Holdings.
• SM Development Corporation (SMDC), a residential property developer focusing on the premium middle market.
• Mall of Asia Complex, an alternative business and tourism district, home to the SM Mall of Asia, SMX Convention Center, and other venues.
• Costa del Hamilo Inc., an eco-tourism project to develop 5,700 hectares of land in Nasugbu, Batangas, into coastal resort communities.
• Highlands Prime, Inc., a residential developer in Tagaytay Highlands, a mountainside resort and residential complex.
• Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation, a company engaged in gold mining operations.
• Hotels and convention centers, including Conrad Manila, Taal Vista Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu, and more.

The company has a foundation, SM Foundation, which is responsible for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives

SM Foundation, Inc. is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of the SM Group of Companies. SM Foundation was founded by Henry Sy, Sr. and Felicidad T. Sy in 1983 to help underprivileged members of communities in the Philippines. The foundation has four areas of advocacy: education, health, community development, and care for the environment and for persons with special needs.

SM Foundation provides support to underprivileged students through college and technical-vocational scholarship programs. It also donates school buildings to public schools. The foundation has established the SM College Scholarship Program and the Technical-Vocational Scholarship Program to support bright, underprivileged public high school students in securing higher education. In addition, the foundation has donated 135 public school buildings to date.

SM Foundation also focuses on health initiatives, providing free, comprehensive, accessible, and quality medical and dental care to target beneficiaries nationwide through its medical missions and the Felicidad T. Sy Wellness Program. The foundation has renovated 20 birthing facilities and 20 public health centers, serving 96,000 women to date.

In terms of community development, SM Foundation offers various livelihood training programs, such as the Farmers' Training Program, which enables farmers to become self-sufficient by teaching them to produce high-value crops for a sustainable livelihood. The foundation also undertakes greening projects, spiritual development initiatives, and immediate disaster response efforts.

SM Foundation is committed to caring for the environment and for persons with special needs, including those with disabilities, children, nursing mothers, the elderly, and overseas Filipino workers, among others. The foundation promotes environmental sustainability by increasing water-use efficiency, enhancing renewable energy usage, and reducing waste. It has installed 33,000 solar panels, generating 9.245 megawatts of power, and has recycled 88% of the total waste generated.

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