Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), the parent company of NUSTAR Resort & Casino operator Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc, has announced that Lance Gokongwei will step down as President and CEO on 1 February 2025, to be replaced by Maria Socorro Isabelle “Mybelle” V. Aragon-GoBio.
Gokongwei has held the role since January 2024, having stepped in to replace his cousin, Frederick Go, who himself stepped down after accepting an invitation from Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to become the government’s Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs.
Gokongwei remains CEO of the group’s ultimate parent, JG Summit Holdings, which was founded by his late father John Gokongwei Jr and holds interests in airlines, telecom, banking, food, power and property. It is unclear if he will remain Chairman and CEO of Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc although he will continue to serve as Executive Chairman of RLC, providing strategic guidance to the company moving forward, it said in a Monday announcement.
RLC added that it expressed its “heartfelt appreciation to Mr Gokongwei for his exceptional leadership and invaluable contributions during his tenure as President and CEO” with RLC having “solidified its position as a leading player in the real estate industry” under his stewardship.
His replacement, Ms Aragon-GoBio, is described as a “trailblazer in her own right”, becoming the first female President and CEO of RLC. She brings over 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, having begun her career with RLC in 1993 and holding significant leadership roles across logistics, residential and office developments, and mixed-use estates.
Through her strategic vision and innovative approach, she has been instrumental in driving the growth and diversification of the company, RLC said.
“Ms Aragon-GoBio brings with her a wealth of experience, deep industry expertise, and a forward-thinking vision that will drive Robinsons Land Corporation into a new chapter of growth and innovation,” the RLC Board of Directors said. “Her steadfast commitment to operational excellence, customer-centricity, agile approach and sustainable development will undoubtedly strengthen RLC’s market leadership and create long-term value for all stakeholders.”
RLC recently revealed plans to invest more than Php10 billion (US$178 million) to develop new hotels in the next few years, including the recently opened NUSTAR Hotel at NUSTAR Resort, described as a “lifestyle brand that blends local culture with art and design to provide a unique, unpretentious luxury experience.”
Speaking at the 2024 IAG Academy Summit in Manila in September, NUSTAR COO Alan Teo said the property was continuing to show solid growth as new facilities come online, with more planned for the months ahead.
“By early next year we will have more attractions and entertainment in NUSTAR,” he said. “We will have the Skydeck, which is a glass floor located on the 36th floor where you can look straight down and will also have the perfect view of the sea and the mountains. Our leisure park will open at the same time. When the third hotel tower is competed two years from now there will be a theater as well.
“We are positioning it as a destination where you spend three to four days in the property rather than just a day or two. As the brand name implies, we want to be the star of Visayas.”
