Tessie Sy-Coson recently landed in Fortune magazine’s annual list of 50 most powerful businesswomen outside the US for the sixth straight year. Daughter of Filipino shopping mall taipan Henry Sy Sr (of the SM chain fame), the petite dynamo holds key positions in the SM group, which has branched out from retail to banking and financial services. She shares with Tina Arceo-Dumlao lessons she learned from her father.
Where did you first go when you travelled abroad?
Hongkong.
What place in the world holds the fondest memories for you?
Seattle. My late husband, my children who were growing up at the time, and I spent many holidays here. It was not only scenic but far away from the daily pressures of business in Manila. We were just like any regular family on vacation.
How often are you on the road?
With business being quite global these days, I often travel for conferences, meetings and even research. I visit my children who are studying overseas. I make it a point to go on holidays with them. Anywhere with them is a fun place.
What can’t you travel without?
My mobile phone. It keeps me in touch with my family and my work.
With your family owning so many malls, surely you must be shopped out.
You’ll be surprised. I prefer to shop abroad for my personal stuff. When I visit our stores or malls, it’s more like work. Abroad, I have more privacy and I can shop at a leisurely pace.
Shopping is always part of my (travel) itinerary. I like to check out the retail scene in different cities.
Are there still places in the world or in the Philippines you would like to visit?
In the Philippines, many of our shopping malls are located in scenic cities like Cebu, Davao and Baguio, and I would like to explore these more as a tourist. There are other tourist destinations in the country like Palawan and Bohol that I often hear about but haven’t had the opportunity to visit.
What lessons did you learn at your father’s knee that you found useful in your career?
He taught his children that it was important to have the dream and have the passion to achieve this dream. He also taught us the importance of focusing, hard work, perseverance, and recognising opportunities.
My father has the gift of optimism. He has always told us to be optimistic even during difficult times, and not to forget to give back to the community.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Having the stupid confidence to manage our first department store at 22. Miraculously, I did okay.
