AIM-SEELL Executive Panel Discussion Unpacks the Power of People in a Rapidly Changing Business World
Empowering people remains the foundation of sustainable organizational success. This message resonated strongly at the recent Executive Panel Discussion hosted by the Asian Institute of Management, School of Executive Education and Lifelong Learning (AIM-SEELL), where leaders from top organizations shared forward-thinking strategies on adapting training and development for long-term growth.
In her opening remarks, Prof. Ivy Samson reminded participants of their pivotal responsibility in shaping the future of work. She emphasized that as people leaders and as executives of HR, L&D, and OD disciplines, they are called for greater than ever before to be in the forefront of the business. She underscored their role in encouraging and ushering everyone in their organizations to constantly learn and gain new knowledge and skills, setting a purposeful tone for the conversation.
Held on 12 November 2025 at the Aboitiz Tech Space on the AIM Campus, the session brought together HR and Learning and Development practitioners eager to navigate today’s rapidly shifting business landscape. The discussion centered on one critical truth: in a world of constant disruption, organizations must build robust and future-ready talent ecosystems to stay competitive.
The panel featured insights from Barbara Gatbonton-Mecua, EMBA, Chief People Officer of Home Credit Philippines; Chris Macasaet, COE for Learning and Development at Ayala Land Inc.; and Mary Ann Santos, EMBA, Global Head of Learning and Development of 2X Global.
Gatbonton-Mecua emphasized the value of grounding development strategies in real organizational needs. She shared that there is really a necessity for people leaders to develop strong relationships with business leaders, explaining that when conducting training needs analyses, she often does not rely solely on questionnaires. Instead, she turns into meaningful conversations and real-time insights that reveal the organization’s true capability gaps.
Santos added a forward-looking perspective, emphasizing the importance of assessing readiness for evolving talent frameworks. She noted that many organizations now ask whether they should move from role-based or level-based structures to more agile, skill-based approaches. She raised the critical question of whether the organization is ready for such a shift, explaining that if faster training and upskilling are the goals, a skill-based model may offer the agility leaders are looking for.
Macasaet highlighted the importance of integrating theory with hands-on application. He shared that for him, effective learning is a combination of experiential and formal training. In designing programs, his team ensures that foundational alignment and conceptual understanding come first, but theory is always followed by practice to reinforce learning and accelerate capability building.
The panelists collectively underscored the importance of cultivating a culture of continuous learning, adopting innovative and data-informed development strategies, and designing programs that empower employees not just to respond to change but to lead it.
Their insights reaffirmed the importance of aligning human capital strategies with organizational goals, so people development strengthens capability and drives sustainable performance.
AIM-SEELL Custom Corporate Team extends its appreciation to these esteemed panelists for advancing the conversation on future-oriented people development and inspiring leaders to rethink how they build and grow their talent.
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