SINGAPORE – The Aboitiz Group has formally launched its data science and artificial intelligence (DSAI) arm — Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI) — as the company continues its “Great Transformation” from a 150 year-old traditional business empire to become the Philippines’ first “techglomerate”.

At the ADI: Let’s Press Start event at the ArtScience Museum here, ADI showcased before its partners and stakeholders from both Singapore and the Philippines the possibilities DSAI can contribute to accelerate transformation of the Aboitiz Group’s interests in key sectors – financial services, power, and smart cities – through a data-driven future.

“My great grandfather 150 years ago left Spain and sailed across the world to Southeast Asia to start a new life, a new family with a hemp trading company. And to come this far, he must have been pursuing a great dream,” said Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin M. Aboitiz at the launch.

If only, his great grandfather (Paulino) could witness the event, Aboitiz said his forefather must have seen how “spectacularly that dream has true.”

Aboitiz, who has long held the view that data can be monetized, stressed that “data is the new oil and gold and its currency is firming and permanently establishing and strengthening by the minute so to ignore that would be short of irresponsible and to seize it would be imperative.”

Integral to the Aboitiz Group’s Great Transformation plans in making the company more resilient and future-ready, ADI aims to simplify the complex world of data and drive the Group’s journey in becoming the Philippine’s first techglomorate through the operationalization of DSAI across all business units.

ADI consolidates DSAI operating models across the Group and promotes a

data-driven culture across the organization. Its chief responsibility is to transform data into

business outcomes, use information to make better decisions, reinvent business models, and

develop high-value solutions to create new processes, products, and services.

But Aboitiz emphasized that ADI is not only limited for the group’s own consumption, it will collaborate with partners and industry leaders, and the government to promote opportunities for its partners and industry leaders, create a meaningful and positive impact on society.

Through innovative and sustainable DSAI-enabled products and services to solve business, DSAI hopes to provide solutions to environmental, social, and governance challenges.

“ADI is revolutionizing how data is used across industries, sectors, and borders,” said Dr. David R. Hardoon, Chief Executive Officer of ADI.

“Through tried and tested DSAI frameworks, ADI brings together the science and domain knowledge to enable companies to focus obsessively on its operationalization. We’re excited to see the business- and people-centric, quantifiable impact the activation of DSAI will have on customer services, operational efficiency, and risk management,” he said.

As businesses and governments continue to recognize digital innovation as the engine of

economic growth, ADI is leveraging Singapore’s position as a leading technology hub to

strengthen its commitment and foothold in the region over the next five years through increased investment and working with strategic local partners.

With the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), ADI will drive the company’s push in hiring more talent in Singapore and establish its DSAI advisory services and products offered in the region.

Tan Kong Hwee, EDB Executive Vice President, said, “The Aboitiz Group’s expansion of its

DSAI arm, ADI, as part of the Group’s Great Transformation plans, is testament to Singapore’s

hub status in Asia for innovation and technology. EDB will continue to catalyze and support companies’ growth and transformation strategies in the region. We warmly welcome ADI’s plans, which will provide desirable job opportunities for Singaporeans and contribute to the growth of Singapore’s diverse DSAI talent pool.”