Victor S. Genuino: Leading ePLDT’s vision for digitalization and inclusive economic growth

“Our vision for the company is to play a pivotal role in driving digitization in the Philippines to generate inclusive economic growth. We are positioning ePLDT to be the digital transformation partner of choice for enterprises through our suite of data center, multi-cloud, and cybersecurity offerings,” says Victor S. Genuino.

Since taking the helm as President and CEO in April 2022, Genuino has been steering ePLDT and rallying his team towards the attainment of this goal.

“There is a lot of clarity in terms of who we are, what we want to become, and how to get there,” he says.

Focusing Beyond Connectivity

While majority of PLDT’s business is on connectivity, ePLDT is focused on delivering solutions and services to achieve business outcomes.

“Being the ICT arm of the PLDT Group, ePLDT is taking advantage of the connectivity that we already have with end users and customers, then adding another layer on top of it that allows them to be more digitally enabled,” explains Genuino.

“We aim to address the technology pain points that customers experience — whether it is to increase and find new markets, grow revenue, save cost, or improve efficiency.”

According to PLDT & Smart Inc. President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, this ePLDT mindset mirrors the PLDT Group’s commitment to support businesses that need to be agile across their operations and enable them to participate in digital ecosystem so they can succeed in the post-pandemic world.

Helping in digitally transforming big businesses and SMEs to stay relevant and keep in step with competition is part of ePLDT’s mission of promoting economic inclusiveness.

From offering a mixed bag of services, ePLDT is focusing on providing digital transformation solutions and building on its data center and multi-cloud businesses.

Leveraging Innovative Technologies

On the data center front, ePLDT has the largest network of 10 fully operational VITRO Data Centers, at par with global standards, in key locations across the country.

The biggest yet is soon to rise in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, its’ 11th data center, with more in the pipeline, including a 12th facility to further strengthen ePLDT’s 65% data center market capacity share.

VITRO Sta. Rosa, the country’s first true hyperscale data center facility, was designed and built not only to be hyperscale-ready and committed to sustainability, but also effectively ready for integration and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

The same is true for Data Center 12, a 100 MW hyperscale facility now underway. Data Center 12 will further fortify the PLDT Group’s data center market leadership in the Philippines while leveraging on the massive infrastructure investment of the country’s largest telecommunication group.

“We, at ePLDT, are well aware that an artificial intelligence-driven future is not too far ahead. We also know that in order to make AI accessible and successful nationwide, it must be integrated into a comprehensive and hyperconnected digital ecosystem which is exactly what VITRO presents,” says Genuino.

VITRO, the country’s most robust and hyperconnected network of data centers, is part of an even bigger domestic fiber network of PLDT, which is connected to a vast international underwater cable system of the telco giant.

“PLDT has invested a lot to build international cable capacity in the Philippines. Our domestic fiber footprint is very large as well. We have close to one million kilometers of fiber laid out in the country already,” says Genuino.

This supports the government’s vision to make the Philippines the transit and data center hub for global hyperscalers in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We want to help the Philippines gain a larger market in serving the ICT needs of global customers while continuing to support the digital transformation journey of different sectors locally,” shares Genuino.

Forging Partnerships

For its cloud business, ePLDT has forged strategic partnerships with leading technology brands such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Salesforce, and Palo Alto Networks to customize best-in-class multi-cloud solutions with ironclad security for small and large enterprises.

“The ambition is to be a multi-cloud provider. We want to be vendor-agnostic. We want to focus on outcomes. The type of tech partner we choose will depend on what our customers are looking for.  This is a more refreshing and noble approach in serving the customers’ digital requirements,” shares Genuino.

Genuino is aware that ePLDT would need to partner and build stronger relationships across the ecosystem of digital transformation.

“There are a lot of players that have to be involved in providing that seamless digital experience. These are the application and content providers, cloud companies, system integrators, and different channels to market.”

Partnership within ePLDT is no less essential.

“I make it a point that the teams internally work well together and understand their respective roles in delivering that solution we promised to a customer,” says Genuino.

Putting Customers First

“Customer centricity is a very strong mantra within the PLDT organization now, brought in by our PLDT & Smart Inc. President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, and this is being cascaded across the organization.”

Panlilio has consistently underlined that providing world-class customer experience is key to the success of the PLDT Group and is the best way to serve the new generation of Filipino consumers. ePLDT is in lockstep with PLDT’s mission to transform and help customers in the Philippines by providing the best customer experience.

Meaningful discussions with customers become the basis of ePLDT’s in-house certified experts in designing customized digital solutions to address specific needs and help enterprises achieve their full potential.

“Digital transformation is a collaborative journey we undertake with our customers.  We are here to guide them every step of their way, wherever they may be on their digital transformation journey,” says Genuino.

Empowering People

Getting everyone to take part in this undertaking requires a kind of leadership and work environment that lifts people up.

“We espouse a culture of transparency and open communication. As managers, our role is to bring out the best in our people,” says Genuino.

He believes in accountability, appreciating contributions, rewarding performance, and providing employees with challenges and opportunities for learning and growth.

Just a few weeks in as head of ePLDT, Genuino told his team that what they were up to was a monumental task. They were going head-to-head with global consulting companies.

“We are just a Pinoy company. But this is our home, this is our market. Not all companies can afford to pay the consulting fees of these big companies. That is our opportunity – to help these companies be digitally enabled, providing them with the best service we can. To do that, we must build the capabilities and resources behind our promise of digitally transforming companies,” he recalls telling his team more than a year ago.