MGEN names new chief for thermal business

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June 17, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) has appointed a new president and CEO to lead its thermal business, barely nine months after the previous leadership change.

Arnel Santos will take the helm of MGEN Thermal Energy Inc. starting July 1, succeeding Felino Bernardo, who assumed the role only last October.

Santos has more than three decades of leadership experience spanning the global energy, refining, petrochemicals and industrial technology sectors.

Before his appointment, he served as senior vice president and chief operating officer of MGEN Thermal.

Santos, alongside incoming MGEN Thermal COO Sam Manlosa, is expected to help steer the company into its next phase of growth and transformation.

Meanwhile, Bernardo, who was named MGEN Thermal president and CEO in October, will transition to the role of strategic energy transition head under a two-year engagement from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028.

In this role, Bernardo will lead the strategic development and management of MGEN’s power generation project pipeline, including project identification, feasibility studies, execution strategies and growth initiatives across key developments.

“This leadership transition positions us strongly for both today’s operational priorities and tomorrow’s growth opportunities,” MGEN president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said.

“Arnel will lead MGEN Thermal with a focus on reliability, operational excellence and sustainable performance, while Lino’s expanded mandate at MGEN enables us to accelerate strategic initiatives that will shape the future of our portfolio and the country’s energy sector,” Rubio said.