Our Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) Legal Team has once again distinguished itself in the legal community, securing two prestigious honors at the 2024 Asian Legal Business (ALB) Philippine Law Awards and being declared as a finalist in two other categories. Presented by ALB, this recognition celebrates AEV Legal’s commitment to advancing legal standards and their impactful contributions to the Aboitiz Group.

For the second consecutive year—and AEV Legal’s sixth win in the category after having won in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023—the team proudly took home the title of Philippine In-House Legal Team of the Year once again this year. This back-to-back victory reflects the team’s relentless pursuit of delivering strategic solutions across Aboitiz Group’s diverse sectors.

AEV Legal in 2024 Driving Innovation, Excellence, and Transformative Change

AEV Legal has led initiatives that extend across the Aboitiz Group. In driving federalization, the team, led by Atty. Connie Chu, developed governance frameworks that seamlessly integrate agility with strategic alignment, fostering unified growth and responsiveness across subsidiaries. They also serve as a core knowledge resource, providing dynamic training sessions on ESG, M&A, labor compliance, and other legal updates to ensure teams are equipped with vital, up-to-date market trends and regulatory insights.

A key highlight of their work this year was their instrumental role in the acquisition of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc., a transaction where they showcased unparalleled expertise in managing complex cross-border regulatory landscapes. This deal was awarded M&A Deal of the Year.

In addition to these awards, the team was also recognized as a finalist in two other notable categories: Innovative In-House Team of the Year (which Union Bank of the Philippines won) and Debt Market Deal of the Year for their outstanding work on the Coca-Cola acquisition financing through a multi-billion dollar financing program involving multi-tranche bonds issuance and a term loan facility with leading Philippine banks.

Our team is driven to being a solutions-based strategic partner to the business committed to legal excellence — whether through enhancing daily tasks with AI tools, strengthening Group governance, or driving efficient deal execution. We are grateful for the trust and support from our principals and our colleagues across the Group. This recognition inspires us to continuously transform and innovate in line with the Group’s development.

– Connie Chu, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, AEV

The 9th Annual ALB Philippine Law Awards, organized by ALB, a division of Thomson Reuters, celebrates the resilience, and achievements of the legal profession in the Asia-Pacific region. ALB, renowned for its trusted and authoritative insights, plays a crucial role in connecting legal professionals across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, providing a platform that highlights excellence, fosters collaboration, and drives innovation in the legal industry.

These wins spotlight AEV Legal as a pioneering force in the Philippine and Asia-Pacific legal landscape. They reflect a visionary team that emulates the Aboitiz Group’s values of integrity and innovation, driving transformative change across the industry. With bold leadership and a forward-looking approach, this dynamic team empowers growth and sparks progress throughout the legal field—an impact the Aboitiz Group is proud to celebrate.