Fernando Zobel de Ayala has been appointed as a director of Ayala Corp once again.

FERNANDO Zobel de Ayala has recently rejoined Ayala Corp. as a director, marking his gradual reentry into senior roles within the company following his resignation last year due to health concerns.

According to a legal document submitted by Ayala Corp., it was announced that Mr. Zobel is currently fulfilling the remainder of the term left by Mercedita S. Nolledo, who stepped down from the board on Thursday. Nolledo had previously served on the board from 2004 to September 2010 and returned on September 27 of last year when Mr. Zobel resigned.

Ms. Nolledo stepped down from her position in the company in order to show her support for Mr. Zobel’s return to the board and his role in leading our sustainability efforts, including our net zero pledge that was initiated in 2021.

In September of 2022, Mr. Zobel stepped down from his positions as vice-chairman, president, and CEO of Ayala Corp in order to prioritize his well-being and recuperation.

Last August, he went on a medical leave from the company. No additional information was provided by the firm.

Ayala Corp. serves as the publicly traded parent company for the diverse enterprises within the Ayala group.

Ayala Corp. announced that Mr. Zobel will also assume the other roles previously held by Ms. Nolledo, including chairman of the sustainability committee, member of the risk management and related party transactions committee, and member of the personnel and compensation committee.

Before, other companies under Ayala’s leadership also announced Mr. Zobel’s return to their individual boards, including his appointment as chairman of Ayala Corp.’s healthcare arm AC Health and as a member of the board for Bank of the Philippine Islands.

Ayala Corp. reported a 13.2% rise in its first-half profit after taxes, amounting to P18.41 billion compared to P16.27 billion in the previous year. The increase was mainly driven by strong performances from its banking, properties, and energy divisions, as well as a one-time gain from AC Industrial Technology Holdings Inc.

On Thursday, shares of Ayala Corp. at the local bourse jumped P4 or 0.64% to finish at P630 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave