LAZARO, Delfin L.
LAZARO, Delfin L. Chairman
Mr. Lazaro has been leading AFC as Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2002. Concurrently, he holds the following positions in other companies: Chairman, and President of A.C.S.T. Business Holdings, Inc., Vice Chairman and President of Asiacom Philippines, Inc., Director at Ayala Corporation, Director and Board Finance Committee Chairman at Globe Telecom. He also holds directorship positions at Manila Water, Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc., AC Industrial Technology Holdings, Inc., AYC Holdings, Ltd., AC International Finance, Ltd., Purefoods International Limited and Probe Productions, Inc. He is also an Independent Adviser to the Board of Directors of Ayala Land, Inc., and a member of the BPI Advisory Council.
He was formerly the head of the Philippine Government’s Energy Sector serving as the Secretary of Energy. He also served as the Chairman of National Power Corporation, Chairman of the Philippine National Oil Company, and Head of Energy Coordinating Council.
Mr. Lazaro earned his bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of the Philippines and obtained his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction from Harvard Graduate School of Business.
ILUSTRE, Raymund P.
Vice-Chairman
Mr. Ilustre has been Vice Chairman of the Board since May 2013. Before sitting on the Board of Directors, he led AFC as President and Chief Operations Officer for 11 years. In AFC, he held various executive positions critical in the continued operations of AFC, such as materials management, sales, marketing and plant operations. His leadership in AFC brought fame and recognition to the company’s efforts to advocate the Site Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) technology to Filipino farmers. His relentless efforts to promote farming technology were widely accepted and acclaimed by both domestic and international organizations in the fertilizer business sector.
Prior to joining AFC, Mr. Ilustre was a Division Manager at Sanofi Philippines Trading and Bio-Industries Division. He was also with Benguet Corporation for 8 years holding different management positions as Special Projects Manager, Materials Administration & Control Manager, Purchasing Manager, Division Manager in Agribusiness and at the same time the President & Director of Benguet Management Marine, the Chairman & Director of Arrow Freight Corporation, Director of Benguet Management Forestry Corporation, Woodstown Condominium Corporation and Akayane Shipping Agency. He was also formerly connected with San Miguel Corporation for 2 years. Mr. Ilustre obtained his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines.
OJIMA, Daisuke
OJIMA, DaisukePresident & CEO
Mr. Daisuke Ojima is a graduate of the International Christian University in Tokyo with a Master’s in Public Administration in 1995. Immediately joining Nissho Iwai after graduation, he was assigned in Business Development with the Energy and Chemical Project Division, taking charge of plant projects in gas & oil producing countries. He continued his service while assigned to Nissho Iwai, Mexico in 2001 – 2006, seeing transformation into Sojitz Corporation. Later, he was appointed General Manager of Sojitz Corporation representative office in Luanda, Angola until 2014 when again, he returned to his expertise in Business Development in Tokyo. In 2017, Mr. Ojima was assigned as the President and Country Manager of Sojitz Philippines Corporation. During this time, Mr. Ojima served as a director of Atlas Fertilizer Corporation, and other companies such as Coral Bay Nickel Corp., Fuji Philippines Services, Sojitz Fuso Philippines Corp., and Sojitz G Auto Phils. Corp. In October 2020 he returned to Tokyo for various assignments and tasks as manager of the Plant Project Department, and Assistant General Manager of the Secretariat Department. Before coming to AFC, Mr. Ojima was at the head of New Business Development Section of the Sojitz Business Innovation Office.
Mr. Ojima adheres to a personal philosophy of being sincere to everybody. This he believes is vital to the growth of both the self, and of partners or customers.
As the President & CEO of AFC, Mr. Ojima knows that his years and expertise in business development, honed in different countries, can help expand the company’s reach, advocating for science-based approach to farming, further improving agricultural output, and uplifting farmers’ lives.
In a highly traditional and conservative agriculture industry, Mr. Ojima is ready to contribute his knowledge and leadership to the Philippines largest and oldest fertilizer manufacturer, staying true to his vision to find and create new value for Atlas Fertilizer Corporation.
BASCO, Rolando Jr. A.
BASCO, Rolando Jr. A. Director and Treasurer
Mr. Basco is concurrently the Executive Vice President, Chief Finance Officer and Treasurer of Atlas Fertilizer Corporation (AFC) while at the same becoming an active member of the Board of Directors of AFC and two (2) of its subsidiaries. He spent more than 25 years of solid experience in Finance, Treasury and Budget. He joined AFC in year 1993, starting out as a Manager in Treasury Department. Because of his excellent performance and outstanding skills, he then after a year was promoted as Assistant Vice President and was later promoted as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in year 2002. Mr. Basco was formerly connected with Benguet Corporation where he gained more than 13 years of experience in the field of Treasury and Budget. He earned his degree in Bachelors of Science in Industrial Engineering from Feati University.
HATADA, Hideo
HATADA, Hideo Director
Mr. Hatada advocates and strongly supports Sojitz Groups’ “New Way, New Value” business philosophy, empowering AFC to apply out-of-the-box thinking to transform a widely conservative agriculture industry with better products and innovative services.
In an uncertain business environment, and the global increase of fertilizer prices, Mr. Hatada sees AFC’s leadership and strength as crucial in helping ensure the Philippines’ road to food security and sustainability through local manufacturing of fertilizers. As the country’s population increases, AFC will play an important role towards independence from imported rice. Moving forward, AFC’s history, sincerity and drive for sustainability with its social, environmental and economic pillars, will ensure good will and equity with Filipino farmers and the rest of the country. He guides that AFC must strike that perfect balance between short term profitability and long term sustainability for the good of the country and business continuity towards 100 years.
Sojitz is developing essential businesses that help support people’s lifestyles. Mr. Hatada plans to use Sojitz group’s knowledge and introduce global standards to AFC with trend of the times like digital transformation and green transformation. He would also like to enhance features and services of AFC and contribute to Philippine Agriculture and to the Filipinos as well.
KUSANO, Shigeya
KUSANO, Shigeya Director
Mr. Shigeya Kusano is currently a Managing Executive Officer of Sojitz Corporation, and concurrently the President & CEO for Asia & Oceania. Mr. Kusano graduated from the School of Law at Tohoku University, in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. Upon graduating, he joined Nissho Iwai Corporation in 1985 and assigned in the Energy & Chemical Machinery Department which is one of the departments of Plant Engineering and Construction Division. The assignment gave him valuable experience in improving machine efficiencies and plant facilities.
His skills were further reinforced through the experiences working abroad in Bahrain, Dubai/UAE and Cairo/Egypt then London/UK.
Through the years, he was involved in different high profile projects in Russia like constructing the country’s largest ammonia plant with an output of 2,200 metric tons per day and in Turkmenistan, for the country’s largest ammonia and urea production plants.
Mr. Kusano believes that with the shift of the lifestyle of many Filipinos today, with a high population plus an increasing demand for high food nutritional requirements brought about by consumers getting more affluent puts AFC on a path to a good future.
He understands that data should be turned into an advantage. Science-based information and technologies like correct farming techniques, better weather predictions, use of drones, and Internet-of-Things (IOT) are all needed to satisfy increasing demand for overall agri-business products.
He understands that data should be turned into an advantage. Science-based information and technologies like correct farming techniques, better weather predictions, use of drones, and Internet-of-Things (IOT) are all needed to satisfy increasing demand for overall agri-business products.
YAMASHITA, Takahiro
YAMASHITA, TakahiroDirector
CRUZ, Cesar C.
CRUZ, Cesar C. Corporate Secretary
Atty. Cruz is the incumbent Corporate Secretary. He is the founder and has been a Managing Partner of his private law firm, Cesar C. Cruz & Partners Law Offices since 1958. His law firm handles various legal services involving intellectual property and technology transfers, labor and employment, corporate, securities and commercial, investments and economic zones, civil, tax, and immigration laws and related litigation that made him a recognized leader in the Philippine legal community.
His reputation as a fair and exceptionally skilled practitioner earned him an appointment as the Municipal Judge of Mandaluyong City. After 8 years on the bench, he resigned from his judicial position to focus on his private practice. As part of his general commercial law expertise, Mr. Cruz is a pioneering lawyer in the Philippines to specialize in intellectual property law. He was formerly the president of Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines and is affiliated with International Trademark Association, Asian Patent Attorneys Association, Licensing Executives Society (International & Philippines), European Community Trademark Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association, Institute of Trademarks (U.K.), European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Rotary Club of Makati City, Philippine Bar Association and Integrated Bar of the Philippines. He earned his Associate in Arts and Bachelor of Laws at University of the Philippines. He took special courses in Taxation of Mergers and Acquisition and International Business Transactions in the Program of Instruction for Lawyers at Harvard Law School.
CALIMAG, Peter L.
CALIMAG, Peter L. Assistant Corporate Secretary/Data Protection Officer
Atty. Calimag’s practice specializes in commercial law, where he assists clients in establishing corporations and other legal entities in the Philippines, concluding various commercial agreements, and providing general corporate, taxation and border protection advice.
Prior to this, he served in the government as the Assistant Secretary of Finance for Revenue Operations and Legal Affairs, supervising the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Local Government Finance, the Revenue Integrity Protection Service, and the Department of Finance’s One-Stop Shop. As a public servant, he oversaw tax treaty negotiation; tax treaty implementation; legislative liaison and coordination; diplomatic liaison; inter-agency coordination; administrative appeals from decisions of the Commissioners of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs, the Insurance Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bureau of Local Government Finance.
He also handled administrative appeals in disciplinary cases involving personnel of the Department of Finance and its various attached agencies, and coordinating the activities of various Philippine government-owned and controlled corporations. Atty. Calimag further acted as the representative of the Secretary of Finance in intra-governmental bodies such as the National Intelligence Board, the Presidential Anti-Terrorism Council, the Philippine Center on Trans-National Crime, the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Duty-Free Philippines, and the Optical Media Board.
SECIO, Sweet Faith A.
SECIO, Sweet Faith A. Assistant Corporate Secretary
Atty. Secio is the incumbent Assistant Corporate Secretary of Atlas Fertilizer Corporation. She has with her, more than 10 years of progressively responsible experience in various legal practices of law and corporate governance. She joined Atlas Fertilizer Corporation in year 2011 as a Corporate Lawyer and in charge of the Legal and Compliance Office and at the same time was appointed by the Board as the Assistant Corporate Secretary. Because of her performance and notable skills in doing administrative functions, she later on was asked to serve several key positions in AFC. In 2013, she served as Internal Audit Manager in addition to her position as Compliance Desk Manager, Legal Office Senior Manager, Personnel Management & Industrial Relations Department Senior Manager, and Assistant Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to her stint in AFC, Atty. Secio served at the Supreme Court of the Philippines ,Office of the Court Administrator as one of its court attorney and at the same time a professor teaching Civil Laws on Partnership, Obligations and Contracts, and Corporation Law to university students. She later joined a private law firm engaged in handling civil law cases, real estate foreclosure, taxation, insurance, labor law and intellectual property. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences Major in Economics at the University of the Philippines and obtained her Bachelor of Laws from Manuel L. Quezon University, School of Law and thereafter became a member of the Philippine Bar in year 2004.
