The 20th Mansmith YMMA Awardees 2025

LOURDES SUSANA BATAC
Communications Strategy Planner Manager - Marketing | GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.)
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Advocacy Marketing

Purpose-Led Storytelling with Tangible Social Impact
  • Launched GCash Stories, a campaign featuring real stories from persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and small business owners.
  • Earned widespread public engagement and recognition, with multiple local and international awards.
Driving Inclusion Through Product Innovation
  • Partnered with WOWLeap to enhance app accessibility and develop financial literacy content tailored to the PWD community.
  • Introduced a sustainable donation platform using GCash QR codes to support inclusive giving.
Strengthened Brand Imagery and Emotional Connection
  • Delivered brand perception lifts in key areas: “Helps me progress in life” (+6 pts), “Brand for Everyone” (+5 pts), and “Has concern for the community” (+5 pts).
  • Contributed to record-high Brand Equity Index scores in Q1 2023 and Q3 2024.
Repositioned GCash as a Purpose-Driven Brand
  • Evolved from a utility payment platform to a brand rooted in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
  • Proved that advocacy-led branding drives both emotional resonance and functional relevance.

ANTHONY CHIANG
Skin Cleansing Category Lead | Unilever Philippines, Inc.
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Brand Management

Sustained Brand Growth and Market Leadership
  • Delivered three consecutive years of strong double-digit growth in both Bars and Liquids categories.
  • Dove outpaced market growth, gaining significant momentum in both segments from 2022 to 2024.
Consistent Market Share Gains
  • Achieved record share growth in Bars with three consecutive years of double-digit basis point gains.
  • Liquids category delivered over 100 basis point share gains in 2024, sustaining multi-year upward trajectory.
Reinvigorated Brand Relevance, Especially Among Gen Z
  • Reconnected strongly with younger consumers, driving the highest market share in 12 years.
  • Strengthened brand equity and relevance through focused initiatives and innovation.
Recognized Excellence Across Multiple Platforms
  • Consistently cited as the Most Prescribed Skin Cleansing Brand by Dermatologists (MIMS Survey, 2022–2024).
  • Recipient of Watsons Philippines HWB Awards (Bath & Body Brand of the Year, 2022 and 2024).
  • Earned accolades from Cosmopolitan Philippines, LazMall, Isetann Trade Awards, and Unilever Global.
Awarded for Global Best Practice in Brand Stewardship
  • Honored with Unilever’s ‘Focus on What Counts’ Award for sustained, market-beating performance and strategic excellence.

ENRIQUE JOSE VERGEL DE DIOS
CEO | Dulce Cupcakes Corporation (Lemon Square Bakery Treats).
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Entrepreneurial Marketing

Achieved Breakthrough Growth and Store Expansion
  • Scaled revenue significantly over five years while growing to 122 stores under a 100% company-owned model.
  • Increased contribution to parent company from less than 1% to a double-digit share, reflecting strong portfolio impact.
Redefined Everyday Cake Consumption
  • Introduced design-led 6-inch cakes to create a new consumption occasion around everyday celebrations.
  • Positioned LSBT as a value-for-money (sulit) leader in the fresh cake segment.
Revitalized a Legacy Brand with Strategic Nostalgia
  • Reignited Lemon Square’s brand relevance, tapping into nostalgia to compete directly with market leaders Goldilocks and Red Ribbon.
Delivered Superior Margins through Fresh Cake Innovation
  • Improved gross margins by double-digit points over traditional FMCG snacks through a fresh, innovation-led model.
Recognized for Operational and Commercial Excellence
  • Awarded GrabFood Merchant of the Year (Bronze) and received four other performance recognitions in 2024, affirming both brand strength and execution at scale.

JOSE AARON ESPINA
CEO | Immuni Global Incorporated
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Entrepreneurial Marketing

Turned Cultural Insight into Category Creation
  • Launched IMMUNIPLUS, a daily herbal sachet addressing the “not sick, but not well” consumer mindset—an often overlooked occasion in the supplement category.
  • Positioned the product as a daily wellness essential, creating a new usage habit in a cluttered market.
Built a High-Growth Business with Entrepreneurial Discipline
  • Scaled from zero to strong national presence by focusing on community-driven marketing—without reliance on traditional media or celebrity endorsers.
  • Sustained rapid growth through cost-effective, trust-based channels.
Engineered a Lean and Scalable Go-to-Market Model
  • Empowered grassroots sellers, pharmacists, and early adopters to drive organic brand advocacy.
  • Proved product-market fit through strong pull-driven distribution rather than paid promotion.
Secured Breakthrough Retail Traction and Loyalty
  • Achieved national retail presence across Mercury Drug, Watsons, and 2,000+ outlets.
  • Gained and maintained shelf space through repeat purchase behavior—with no reliance on trade push or discounting strategies.

NICOLE LOUISE FAUNI
Brand Director- Grooming and Oral Care | Procter and Gamble Philippines Inc.
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Marketing Management

Redefined Grooming and Oral Care Behavior
  • Delivered strong growth for Gillette, with Razor Systems accelerating significantly—making the Philippines the #1 fastest-growing Gillette market in Asia Pacific.
  • For Oral-B, doubled the Electric Toothbrush share to a quarter of the business, driving solid growth in sales and offtake, and placing the Philippines at the top across Asia, Middle East, and Africa.
Turned Brand Declines into Market Momentum
  • Reversed a decade-long decline for Whisper, achieving substantial share and offtake gains, driven by a breakthrough launch that reached millions of Filipinas and secured category-leading share of voice.
  • Revitalized Pampers with improved brand performance by shifting consumer perception from leakage protection to comfort-first messaging, resulting in measurable share and offtake growth.
Pioneered eCommerce Acceleration in FMCG
  • In just six months, more than doubled the eCommerce business, adding millions of new users and securing #1 market leadership across four major categories.
  • Recognized as APAC’s fastest-growing eComm market, with Pampers and Safeguard awarded Best Brandhonors by Shopee and Lazada.

ANDREA HUANG
Asia Marketing Director for Cornetto & Wall's | Unilever Thai Trading Ltd.
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Marketing Management

Launched Mini Magnum Across Six SEA Markets
  • Led the successful rollout of Mini Magnum, securing significant investment and delivering over 170% of business case targets.
  • Expanded the category by introducing new snacking occasions, earning Nielsen IQ Breakthrough Innovation Awards in Thailand and the Philippines.
Delivered Record-High Innovation Sales and Margins
  • Generated strong innovation-driven revenue in 2024, led by Magnum Belgian Chocolate Luxe, which achieved the brand’s best topline performance in five years.
  • Exceeded margin expectations, delivering above-average profitability through premium innovation.
Reinvigorated the Magnum Brand in Southeast Asia
  • Orchestrated a regionally tailored relaunch anchored on chocolate-centric messaging and bespoke packaging.
  • Reversed brand decline and reignited consumer engagement across key SEA markets.
Pioneered Retail & Format Innovation in the Philippines
  • Launched Magnum Manila and Selecta Soft Serve, introducing new premium brand experiences.
  • Opened incremental growth channels in HORECA through innovative product formats and retail models.
Built Cross-Market Marketing Talent
  • Mentored and promoted four regional marketers to Brand Manager roles.
  • Demonstrated a strong commitment to capability-building across cultures and countries.

JACKIE MAÑAGO-NEPOMUCENO
KPOP Marketing Lead | Spotify Asia
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Marketing Management

Turned Local Music into a Movement with KALYE X
  • Grew Monthly Active Users by double digits through KALYE X, a community-first platform that repositioned Pinoy Hip-Hop as a cultural force.
  • Achieved strong uplifts in playlist streaming and brand consideration, earning millions of media impressions and a Bronze at Festival of Media APAC.
Redefined K-Pop Engagement Through CARAT Station
  • Launched Spotify CARAT Station, a multi-city fan activation that deepened K-Pop loyalty through immersive, ritual-driven brand experiences.  
  • Drove notable growth in K-Pop streaming and fanbase expansion, redefining concert marketing into brand-building moments.  
Built Fandom-Powered Brand Equity
  • Shifted from algorithm-based campaigns to fandom-led platforms that fostered authentic engagement, especially among Gen Z and grassroots communities.
  • Transformed passive listeners into active brand advocates by embedding the brand in culture and subcultures.
Scaled Community Platforms into Repeatable Growth Engines
  • Designed KALYE X and CARAT Station as ongoing engagement platforms, not one-off campaigns—fueling consistent growth across brand love, consideration, and acquisition.
  • Proved that when communities lead, brand growth and cultural relevance follow.

ABI MARQUEZ
Food Content Creator | Now You Must Aspire (NYMA)
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Digital Business Building

Reframed Food Content into a Cultural Movement
  • Sparked virality with her Kanto-Style Fried Chicken recipe in partnership with Knorr Seasoning, showing how creator-brand collaborations can blend cultural relevance with commercial impact.
  • Recognized with a Bronze Award for Best Campaign by a Mega Influencer.
Broke Barriers in Global Recognition
  • Became the first Filipino independent creator to win a Webby Award (Social – Food & Drink), elevating Filipino food content to a global audience.
  • Proved that local authenticity can scale internationally.
Redefined Creator Value Through Consistency
  • Named Foodie Creator of the Year by TikTok Philippines (2023), demonstrating sustained engagement and long-term community impact.
  • Showed how consistent content creation builds brand equity and consumer trust.
Recognized as a Voice in Asian Leadership
  • Featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and Tatler Gen.T 2024, solidifying her role as a young entrepreneur shaping the future of food and media.
Bridged Culinary Creativity and Strategic Influence
  • Earned a James Beard Media Awards nomination (Social Media Account), showcasing how creators can integrate storytelling, strategy, and social relevance to lead in the digital space.

DOMINIC NACORDA
Marketing Communications Manager | Samsung Philippines
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Marketing Management

Launched the Philippines’ First AI-Themed Pop-Up Experience
  • Spearheaded the Galaxy AI Festival for the Galaxy S24 Series, introducing AI to consumers in an immersive, purposeful way.
  • Drove record-breaking pre-orders and heightened consumer awareness of Galaxy AI as a useful innovation.
Led a Creator-Driven Foldable Renaissance
  • Orchestrated the #TeamGalaxy campaign for the Galaxy Z Flip6 & Z Fold6, featuring 18 original social filmswith cultural trailblazers.
  • Reframed foldables as lifestyle essentials, leading to strong uplifts in both awareness and Z Series sales.
Built a Youth Movement with Galaxy Campus Ambassadors
  • Created a national student creator network, drawing 3,600+ applicants and empowering 50 ambassadors to generate over 1,000 content pieces in six months.
  • Recognized globally within Samsung as a best-in-class youth marketing model.
Shifted from Product-Centric to Purpose-Driven Marketing
  • Transitioned Galaxy campaigns from tech specs to real human experiences—emphasizing authenticity, cultural relevance, and empowerment.
  • Helped reshape the brand from a gadget provider to an empowerment partner.
Multiplied Leadership Impact Across the Region
  • Awarded Samsung’s President’s Award for top performance and now leading regional initiatives from Singapore.
  • Setting new benchmarks in insight-led, culturally grounded mobile marketing across ASEAN.

RAY PHILIP PINE
Chief Marketing Officer | PEPSICO, INC.
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Marketing Management

Led Category Leadership Across Core Beverage Segments
  • Guided PepsiCo Philippines to market-leading positions in key categories, including Flavored CSD, Energy, and Sports Drinks.
  • Delivered consistent volume and value growth over a three-year period, achieving record commercial performance since regulatory changes were introduced in 2018.
Transformed Mountain Dew Into a Cultural Icon
  • Repositioned Mountain Dew with consumer-centric innovation (e.g., Zero Sugar) and a refreshed brand platform focused on “Everyday Adventure and Friendship.”
  • Launched the award-winning “Play the Dew” campaign, which helped establish gaming as a long-term equity space for the brand.
Accelerated Growth in the Energy Drink Category
  • Scaled Sting to new heights by engaging younger consumers through inclusive messaging, digital-first personalization, and a focus on everyday performance.
  • Strengthened brand equity and expanded category reach through compelling cultural relevance.
Revitalized Zero Sugar Cola Strategy Through Local Insight
  • Streamlined the portfolio with the launch of a Filipino-tailored innovation in the zero-sugar segment, helping simplify offerings and increase trial in urban markets.
  • The new product significantly exceeded growth benchmarks within its first year.
Led with Purpose, Culture, and Resilience
  • Championed a people-first leadership approach, fostering a high-performing, growth-driven marketing team.
  • Drew from personal experiences overcoming adversity, including a health journey, to lead with greater empathy, focus, and impact.

IRA SANTOS
Marketing Manager | Kenvue
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Brand Management

Achieved Category Leadership in Therapeutic Skincare
  • Elevated Aveeno to the #1 adult therapeutic lotion brand in the Philippines, surpassing a long-standing competitor and growing at twice the pace of the category.
  • Success driven by science-backed messaging, purpose-led storytelling, and focused retail execution.
Expanded into Facial Care with High-Impact Innovation
  • Launched Aveeno Face Calm + Restore, making the Philippines a pioneer Asian market for the brand’s facial care expansion.
  • Captured a whitespace in sensitive skincare through a platform centered on emotional wellbeing(#RestoreYourCalm), mass sampling, and immersive brand experiences—earning strong market traction, major PR visibility, and beauty awards within three months.
Redefined Influencer Strategy to Drive Authenticity
  • Shifted from celebrity partnerships to a credibility-first approach, partnering with micro and nano creatorsliving with sensitive skin.
  • Delivered sustained engagement and trust, especially on TikTok, even with lean media investment.
Strengthened eCommerce and Retail Fundamentals
  • Rebuilt digital shelf presence with enhanced product detail pages (PDPs), SEO optimization, and targeted distribution.
  • Ensured consistent visibility, conversion, and differentiation both online and offline.
Demonstrated Challenger Mindset and Strategic Vision
  • Repositioned Aveeno from a “premium and niche” brand to one seen as “scientific yet empathetic.”
  • Proved that meaningful growth is possible when brand purpose, human insight, and strategic creativity are fully aligned.

BIANCA SING
Head of Global Strategic Brand Partnerships, Tiktok Shop | Tiktok
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Digital Business Building

Established and Led Strong Partnerships with Global Brands Across 16 Markets
  • Spearheaded the expansion and scaling of global brands across Asia, the U.S., LATAM, the UK, and the EU
  • Built and led strategic partnerships with 60+ global groups, including L’Oréal Groupe, Estée Lauder Companies, LVMH, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, adidas, H&M, Apple, Samsung, and more
Onboarded World-Leading Brands and Fueled Platform Growth
  • Drove record-breaking launches for iconic brands, including Liquid I.V. (entered the Million Dollar Club) and Make Up For Ever (cold start showcase)
  • Played a key role in TikTok Shop’s momentum and recognition as WWD’s 2024 U.S. Beauty Retailer of the Year
Set New Standards in Social Commerce
  • Championed the rise of creator-powered commerce as a credible and high-performing growth engine
  • Established new benchmarks for brand storytelling, community engagement, and conversion in the social commerce space
Executed Global Launches with Excellence and Influence
  • Led high-impact regional and global activations for brands including Fenty Beauty, K18 Hair, The Ordinary, GAP, Crocs, and PUMA
  • Demonstrated cross-market strategic and executional leadership, helping define TikTok’s role in shaping the future of global commerce

DONNA LOUISE VIRATA-ABRIOL
Category Marketing Manager | Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc.
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Marketing Management

Achieved Record Market Share for Colgate Fresh Confidence
  • Reversed long-term share decline to reach the brand’s highest-ever market share in Freshness Toothpaste.
  • Delivered category leadership through strategic product upgrades, an enhanced value proposition, and an insight-led IMC campaign — all while sustaining growth in Net Sales, Margin, and Operating Profit amid a highly competitive and inflationary environment.
Premiumized the Freshness Segment with Breakthrough Innovation
  • Introduced Freshness + Whitening, a first-to-market concept that repositioned Freshness as a premium segment growth engine.
  • Surpassed trial benchmarks and increased revenue per kilogram, earning the Nielsen Trailblazer Award (2024)for innovation success.
Shifted Brand Narrative Through Breakthrough Storytelling
  • Led the Kathryn Bernardo campaign, delivering 7X higher share of voice vs. competitors and earning the title of “Most Talked About Brand in Personal Care” by Synergy-YouGov.
  • Positioned Colgate as a brand that resonates deeply with Gen Z and Filipino pop culture.
Recognized for Cross-Functional Leadership and Business Impact
  • Twice awarded Marketing Partner of the Year by Colgate’s Customer Development team for driving collaborative business solutions and mentoring cross-functional teams.

ALEXANDER JAMES WANG, JR.
Manager, Masterbrand, Segment, and Portfolio Marketing | GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.)
2025 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awardee for Brand Management

Enabled Nationwide Access to Digital Finance
  • Helped scale online and offline acquisition for GCash, the Philippines’ #1 e-wallet, bringing millions of Filipinos into the formal financial ecosystem.
  • Championed a marketing-led approach to nation-building, delivering measurable gains in reach, retention, and revenue.
Repositioned Everyday Use Cases to Drive Mass Relevance
  • Elevated core features like Buy Load, Pay Bills, and Send Money through the value proposition “Sa GCash, mas magaan ang pang-araw-araw na gastusin!”
  • Increased adoption and relevance among underserved and mass-market segments.
Pioneered Performance Marketing Transformation
  • Led a data-driven shift in acquisition, achieving double-digit growth in new users and significant cost efficiency improvements.
  • Prevented substantial ad fraud losses through cross-platform integration and analytics-led safeguards.
Brought Digital Inclusion to the Grassroots
  • Launched a scalable barangay acquisition model, driving offline growth by 16x in Q4 2024.
  • Proved that fintech can bridge digital divides through on-the-ground, community-first strategies.
Revamped Lifecycle Marketing for Deeper Engagement
  • Improved user quality and engagement by boosting KYC completion rates, increasing verified monthly users, and enhancing retention through targeted digital experiences —despite operational constraints.