Carl Cruz had a choice: stay comfortable or seek a new challenge. After three decades building a successful career in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, he chose the latter, venturing into the world of telecommunications.

“What's there to prove?” This was the question his family posed when he announced his plan to move back to Manila and take the helm of Globe Telecom. But for Cruz, it wasn't about ego or proving a point; it was about impact.

“I've been wanting to move to telco for some time now,” Cruz shared in an interview with Manila Bulletin. “From my own perspective, it has a more profound impact on the daily lives of anyone, especially Filipinos.”

This conviction, rooted in the desire to contribute to something more fundamental to everyday life, became a guiding principle throughout his career.

Cruz’s journey in FMCG started right after college in 1992 at Unilever Philippines. He then gained international experience through roles at the company’s operations in Thailand (2004-2006) and India (2006-2009).

From 2009 to 2016, Cruz returned to Manila before his career at Unilever reached executive levels from 2016 to 2023, as he led operations in Sri Lanka and later managed the entire West Africa region, including Nigeria.

While acknowledging Unilever’s daily impact on consumers, he pointed out that the influence of telecommunications connectivity was different and far more extensive.

Therefore, Cruz understood the immense responsibility of leading Globe, one of the country’s most influential companies, during a period when digital connectivity penetrates every aspect of life, from communication and commerce to education and healthcare.

“Ibang level, to my mind, ang telecom [Telecom is on a different level, to my mind],” he declared.

But his move to telco wasn’t a sudden decision. In fact, as far back as 2010, Cruz had a contract offer from Globe to head their sales division. But the timing wasn’t right then for him.

“Ato and Ernest signed the offer,” Cruz revealed, referring to Renato “Ato” Jiao, chief human resource officer, and his predecessor, Ernest Cu, at Globe Telecom. That offered contract still remains in Cruz’s hard drive to this day.

“I didn’t move because I had just returned from India and was given a leading role as the head of the foods division at Unilever Philippines,” he explained.

While that initial chance at the Ayala-led company didn’t pan out, Cruz eventually entered the telecom industry in 2023, albeit overseas, as CEO and managing director (MD) at Airtel Nigeria.

The Airtel group ranks among the top two global telecom operators, with its presence in India and 14 markets across Africa. Notably, Nigeria, the market Cruz oversaw for 18 months, is the group’s largest in Africa.

Cruz confessed that operating a company in Nigeria was “incredibly tough,” labeling the market “volatility on steroids.” Nevertheless, he views this intense experience as “luck,” crediting it with building his resilience and teaching him to remain unflustered by daily corporate challenges.

“I'm very fortunate to have been part of different cultures,” Cruz said. “It hits you that you're the one who has to adjust, not the other way around.”

Having already embraced expat life, Cruz had no immediate plans to return to the Philippines; he was content at Airtel Nigeria. That is, until a phone call presented him with a second chance at Globe.

In March 2024, Cruz learned that Ernest Cu would be retiring as Globe’s president and CEO in 2025 after 16 years. “Are you interested?” he was asked during that call. His immediate reply: “Of course.”

Accepting the offer felt right for Cruz. Returning to his home country was a strong pull, especially with two of his children already living in Manila.

“You can’t overlook the fact that it’s truly nice to come back home, especially after being out of the country for nine years,” Cruz said. “Although we’d come back two or three times a year, it’s completely different when you are truly back.”

“And the icing on the cake was that it was Globe. It wasn’t just any other organization,” he stated proudly.

Cruz officially became deputy chief executive officer on Jan. 1 this year, initially reporting to Cu until he was elected as president and CEO at Globe’s annual stockholders’ meeting last April 22.

“Globe’s journey is something to be incredibly proud of,” Cruz said. “In the mobile market, Globe once held only about a 32 percent share, and today, that’s risen to 54 percent.”

Recognizing Cu’s accomplishments, the new Globe chief acknowledged he “truly” has big shoes to fill.

Yet, rooted in his prior experiences—relocating across countries, managing diverse teams, and adapting to different cultures—Cruz’s foundational approach was to listen and understand the pulse of the people at Globe.

During his initial onboarding, Cruz spent disproportionate amount of time engaging with individuals in the organization. He also made it a point to go out into the market to fully comprehend Globe’s true North Star: its customers.

“I really needed to understand this so I could relate to the wider organization and hopefully inspire them toward Globe’s next phase of growth,” Cruz stated.

He firmly believes that the “command-and-control” management style no longer yields results today.

“You have to really be able to set the right aspiration, provide the inspiration, and of course, recognize great work when it’s there,” Cruz stressed. “It’s simply treating people the way you want to be treated yourself.”

“Kaya ako lagi ko sinasabi [That’s why I always say], the best is yet to come from all of us,” he stated.

Cruz has set an ambitious course for the next five years that aims to solidify Globe’s position as the most valuable, profitable, and admired telecommunications operator in the country.

He said they will continue to elevate the customer experience by ensuring Globe offers the best product in the market, from data usage, voice calls, SMS, interacting with the Globe One app, and other Globe group companies.

He also intends to diversify the group’s revenue streams by examining its position across different segments of the industry, while continuously leading the sector in innovation.

“One of Globe's strengths is our reputation as innovation leaders in the Philippine telecommunications industry,” Cruz said. “We’ve introduced numerous innovations here.”

In 2011, Globe shifted its network to data that led to “digital habituation” in the country. The company also partnered with tech giants like Facebook to offer free access, which helped users transition to data-based services rapidly.

Beyond connectivity, the Globe group enhanced digital life through venture firms like 917Ventures and Kickstart, and the popular digital payment app GCash.

Although Cruz acknowledged these successes, he also identified challenges, which he viewed as opportunities for Globe to grow.

One of these efforts is to expand Globe’s presence in the Philippines.
Cruz noted that, despite the country's population of about 120 million, there are roughly 40,000 cell sites shared among all telco providers. In comparison, Thailand has 90,000 towers for a population of 70 million.

The country’s position as a leader in Southeast Asia’s expanding digital economy also presents another opportunity, with this trend expected to persist for the next three to five years.

Cruz believes this growth will be fueled by sectors like the delivery industry, with its data-reliant riders, and the influx of Over-The-Top (OTT) players.

Crucially, Globe also hopes that Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises will fully embrace digital transformation, mirroring the digital success seen among small businesses in Thailand.

Cruz also sees an opportunity where others might see only competition. He noted that while Globe holds a 54 percent share of the mobile market (in a two-player view), the real potential still lies ahead.

With 4G device penetration nearing saturation at 93 percent, he said the next phase of growth will be fueled by the adoption of 5G, which is still in its early stages with a penetration rate of only 22 percent to 25 percent.

Similarly, Cruz said the fiber and broadband segment offers a growth runway, with penetration still relatively low at about 25 percent.

When one speaks with Cruz, his passion for the telco sector is obvious. It is so evident that one might assume he’s a long-time industry veteran, yet he doesn’t even consider himself a “techie.”

“I try to be as much as I can [to be techie]. I still learn…I ask my youngest daughter, Gabby, how to do things from time to time. We’re not digital natives, so it’s important to do that,” he said.

Cruz wants to lead Globe as a company that operates beyond just profits. His vision centers on two core goals: leading the digital transformation for Filipinos and becoming the country's most valuable and admired telco.

For him, the true success means helping his team enable Filipinos’ digital journey, while for Globe, it means achieving market dominance while contributing to the nation’s digital growth.