Multi-awarded corporate venturing and innovation firm Embiggen Group formed its first advisory board, which counts global business executives and innovation leaders among its members, as part of its ongoing international expansion in Southeast Asia and Europe.
The five advisory board members are former Kantar Philippines CEO Gary de Ocampo, current e27 CEO Mohan Belani, serial tech entrepreneur and behavioral strategist Cliff Eala, Philippines National Innovation Council member Monchito Ibrahim, and global corporate business-building expert Frank Mattes.
“We, here at Embiggen, are honored to have been joined by Gary, Mohan, Cliff, Monchito, and Frank as part of our advisory board. They will play a crucial role in working with our leadership and management team to help us grow in the Philippines, Asia, and the EU,” said Embiggen Founding CEO Rolan Marco Garcia.
As Embiggen continues to expand its operations in the Southeast Asian region, the five members of the newly formed advisory board will strengthen Embiggen’s presence and reputation in the region’s business community.
Embiggen’s advisory board will also play a crucial role in guiding the firm’s leadership team in making strategic decisions to ensure client satisfaction and the overall success of the business’s initiatives.
“Their decades of combined experience in innovation, leadership, and business building will definitely prove to be an invaluable addition to our team as we continue to work with the region’s most innovative and successful businesses in the coming months and years,” added Garcia.
The advisory board will also have hands-on roles in the Embiggen Group’s client engagements and venture building activities – uniquely giving our clients the opportunity to connect with and work directly with internationally-renowned senior corporate innovation experts.
Gary de Ocampo: Former Kantar PH CEO And Market Insights Expert
Gary de Ocampo is a market research expert and consumer insight consultant who was the immediate past president and CEO of Kantar Philippines, the biggest market research firm in the country. He was also the president of Taylor Nelson Sofres Philippines, another premier market research firm that later became part of the Kantar Group.
These two positions represent over 15 years of experience in market research, consumer insights, and business leadership.
He is currently also a member of multiple advisory boards including the advisory boards of online donation startup Giving Hero and the prestigious Our Lady of Fatima University.
Mohan Belani: e27 Co-Founder And CEO, And Early-Stage Venture Investor
Mohan Belani is the co-founder and CEO of e27, a Singapore-based startup and tech ecosystem platform that supports Southeast Asian entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. He is also the co-founder of e27 Ventures, the venture capital arm of e27.
Belani is also an investor in over 30 early-stage funds across Southeast Asia, India, USA, and New Zealand, and a Partner at the Orvel Early Stage Fund.
Alongside his investor and startup ecosystem enabler roles, Belani is also a mentor for the National University of Singapore Engineering Alumni Mentorship Programme and the Founder Institute.
Monchito Ibrahim: National Innovation Council Executive Member
Monchito Ibrahim is an expert in digital transformation and innovation. Ibrahim served as the Undersecretary for Industry and Countryside Development at the Philippines Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Ibrahim is currently a member of the Philippines National Innovation Council together with Embiggen Founding Partner & Board Member Earl Valencia. Ibrahim and Valencia are the two members who represent the business community in the council that reports directly to the President of the Philippines.
Alongside Ibrahim’s membership in the National Innovation Council and Embiggen’s advisory board, he is also the Lead Convenor of the digital economy advocacy group Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation, Vice President for External Affairs for the UP System Information Technology Foundation, and the Vice President and member of the Board of Trustees of the Analytics Association of the Philippines.
Cliff Eala: Behavioral Strategist And Serial Tech Entrepreneur
Cliff Eala is a seasoned behavioral strategist and serial tech entrepreneur with deep experience in numerous industries and markets.
Eala founded BS Works, a firm that helps organizations grow through behavioral science, data, and technology. He also founded Synerbyte Limited, an energy efficiency tech firm that offers solutions including intelligent lighting and smart voltage control systems to commercial and industrial customers across Asia. Eala also founded Sequel Solutions, Inc., a software company that was acquired by a VC fund in 2007.
Currently, he is the board director of CIS Bayad Center, the largest multi-channel payment platform in the Philippines, and PETNET, an urgent cash transaction center owned by the Philippine Stock Exchange-listed Aboitiz Equity Ventures.
Frank Mattes: Global Corporate Venture Building Expert
Frank Mattes is one of the forefront corporate business-building experts worldwide.
Mattes is the Founder and CEO of Lean Scaleup, a Germany-based corporate business-building firm that has helped corporate intrapreneurs assess, accelerate, and scale their corporate startups. Lean Scaleup has built new businesses together with over 35 corporations worldwide including Airbus, Bosch, Philips, Volvo, and Unilever.
Mattes is also an Associate Partner at Dual Innovation, another corporate business-building firm that helps corporations optimize their current core business while simultaneously building new businesses. Dual Innovation has worked with the world’s largest corporations including Samsung, TUV Rhineland, and Deutsche Telekom.
