Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has named former senior associate justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe as the new chairperson of its board of directors, leading the company in its efforts to become a prominent technology provider.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Converge announced that Perlas-Bernabe was elected chairperson of the board following the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Friday, May 29, replacing Jose De Jesus.

De Jesus will remain with the company as an independent director, having served as chair since Converge was listed on the PSE in 2020.

He said passing the baton to Perlas-Bernabe, the first female chairperson of Converge, would help usher in a “new era of fairness and accountability” for the board.

Perlas-Bernabe joined the company’s board of directors back in May 2023, becoming chair of the remuneration committee and related party transactions committee.

Throughout her 26-year career in the judiciary, Perlas-Bernabe made it a habit never to back down from tough decisions, serving as a magistrate at all levels of the court system without leaving any case pending resolution upon promotion to a higher court.

Since February last year, Perlas-Bernabe has also been a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), bringing her decades of judicial and dispute resolution expertise to the international stage.

“In the past three years, I have witnessed the company’s adherence to the highest standards of corporate governance and seen its subscriber base rise to over three million in a highly competitive industry,” said Perlas-Bernabe.

“I am truly excited to lead the board as the fiber internet provider evolves into a future-forward technology company,” she added.

Perlas-Bernabe’s decision-making acumen is expected to propel Converge toward its ambition of emerging as a leader in both telecommunications services and technological innovation.

For one, Converge is becoming more aggressive in its push to bolster its data center business as it seeks to capture growing demand for artificial intelligence here and abroad.

The company is also planning to establish a new firm to handle its fiber network, opening it up to other operators. Converge chief executive officer Dennis Anthony Uy earlier said that while the plan remains in place, it is not yet a priority given current economic conditions.

Nonetheless, Converge remains committed to spending up to ₱23 billion in capital expenditures this year to capture greater demand for connectivity. (Dexter Barro II)