Anvil Business Club, an association of young Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs, hosted a forum on Aug. 8, 2024 at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City.
Around 120 young Filipino Chinese businessmen, students and media representatives attended the event.
The forum featured two keynote speakers who shared valuable invaluable insights on life and business, drawing from their extensive experience and the profound wisdom of their cultural heritage.
Anvil honorary chairman Willson Lee Flores, a renowned columnist, businessman and analyst of history and geopolitics, emphasized the importance of leveraging one’s heritage in business.
“You’re not starting from zero when you use your heritage; you’re really starting with many treasures and powers,” he said.
Flores explained that culture, built on past advantages and historical memory, serves as a vital delivery device for inspiration.
He recounted his experiences with tycoons such as Lucio Tan and Andrew Tan, highlighting their dedication to learning traditional Chinese culture by inviting history professors from China to teach in the Philippines.
He also encouraged the youth to follow their example in integrating cultural knowledge into their business practices.
Anvil Business Club chairman emeritus George Siy, who is also the president of the Marie France Group of Companies, provided insights into the history and current international situations affecting businesses.
“Your mentors are people in the past; your financiers are in the future, guaranteed by your energies and efforts backed up by the communities you are in,” he said.
“Heroes are not born heroes; they go through a journey,” Siy said.
He urged young Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs to utilize their cultural backgrounds to seize opportunities in the rapidly expanding Chinese economy and contribute to national development in the Philippines.
Attendees appreciated the forum, with one participant saying, “I learned a lot from their insights. I enjoy the club’s regular seminars.”
The Anvil Business Club promotes growth and development among young Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs through forums that encourage them to draw on their heritage as they tackle the challenges of today’s business environment.
