Four executives of the SM Group were named among the country’s 100 notable Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) who were conferred the Centenary Awards of Excellence for their outstanding contributions in the advancement of the accountancy profession.
The Centenary Awards of Excellence were presented to SM Investments Corporation Chairman Jose T. Sio, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. President Jeffrey C. Lim, BDO Unibank, Inc. President and CEO Nestor V. Tan, and SM Retail, Inc. Director Roque “Ricky” A. Lim.
The Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy (PRBOA) noted that “these are the Filipino CPAs who demonstrated unquestionable integrity, contributed immensely in the advancement of the accountancy profession and participated remarkably in national development.”
“It is an honor to receive this award from esteemed colleagues and professionals of Accountancy in the country. This profession brings us pride as it has a big role to play in strategic management and in the transformation of the economy,” said Sio.
He added that, “I am deeply grateful to my mentors, Mr. Washington Sycip of SGV and Mr. Henry Sy of SM for providing me the golden opportunities to hone my chosen profession and contribute to national growth and development.”
Prior to joining SM, Sio was a former Senior Partner of SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV). He started his career in SM Investments as the Chief Finance Officer in 1990 and was appointed as Chairman of the Board of SM Investments in 2017.
“I am deeply privileged to receive this award from my colleagues, who I respect and admire. Our role as accountants has dramatically evolved beyond reporting to being stewards of accountability and governance,” Lim said.
Joining SM Prime Holdings in 1994 as its Vice President for Finance when the company debuted on the stock market, Lim went on to become the President of the company, now touted as one of Southeast Asia’s largest real estate developers.
“In the banking industry, accounting is very important. It impacts all aspects of our operations especially in the delivery of reliable information which serves the needs of various stakeholders and customers. I am honored to receive this accolade from the industry as an affirmation of our profession’s important responsibility,” Tan said.
He has been the President and CEO of the country’s largest bank since June 1998. Prior to joining BDO, Tan was Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Institutions Services Group of BZW, the investment-banking subsidiary of Barclays Group.
His banking career spans nearly four decades and includes posts at global financial institutions abroad.
“Accounting helps ensure the continued success and survival of any business. This is crucial in the retail sector as we deal with various suppliers, customers, partners and stakeholders. I am delighted to receive this award from our peers and wish the organization more success,” said Lim.
Lim is among the pioneers of finance at SM Retail. He was the former Executive Vice President for Controllership of SM Retail and has been instrumental in the introduction and development of foreign brands in SM.
Together with other SM employees, Lim founded the SM Savings and Loan Association, Inc. in 1987. With the support of SM founder Henry Sy Sr., they started to instill the value of savings to member-employees.
He has served as the Association's President for 26 years and is now its Chairman Emeritus.