Robina’s Fantastic 4

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August 4, 2025 | 12:00am

Notes on the beat

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Robina Gokongwei-Pe is not afraid to give her rivals in the retail industry a shoutout or much-deserved credit.

Robina, one of Fortune Magazine’s 2024 most powerful women in Asia, has brought the Gokongwei Group’s retail arm, Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI), to great heights under her decades of leadership.

Despite her success and prominence, Robina, the eldest daughter of tycoon John Gokongwei Jr., admitted that there are currently four women retailers in the country whom she admires.

“The first one is Tessie Sy-Coson,” she said during the 31st National Retail Conference and Expo last week.

Robina described Sy-Coson, vice chairman of conglomerate SM Investments Corp., as “absolutely brilliant.”

“Mrs. Coson is, just as the British would say – absolutely brilliant in everything,” she said.

“And so the only time I felt bigger was when my Prada bag was bigger than hers in one party. I don’t know why we ended up having the same bag, but I had the bigger one,” Robina said in jest.

Next on her list is Susan Co, co-founder of supermarket chain Puregold Price Club inc. and wife of retail tycoon Lucio Co.

Susan is also the vice chairman of Cosco Capital, a listed retail and investment holding firm.

Asked why she admires Susan, Robina said: “Because everything that she buys for the store flies. She is a very good merchandising lady. She is born with it, I guess.”

Robina believes that merchandising skills are something that one is born with, jokingly saying that “because no matter how much you teach me, I am not a good merchandising person.”

Another retailer whom Robina looks up to is Rosemarie Bosch-Ong, senior executive vice president and chief operating officer of home improvement and finishing construction supply retailer Wilcon Depot Inc.

“She’s so funny because she said, you know I don’t understand all these ratios of these analysts, but I know my sales, my margins, my expenses and my bottomline. And I said, yeah, that’s why you run your business so well,” Robina said.

Last but not the least on Robina’s list is Rina Janine Go of Prince Retail Group, the parent company of Cebu-based retail chain Prince Hypermart.

Rina currently serves as the chief merchandising, marketing and distribution officer at Prince Hypermart.

“I met Rina because we were going to acquire this IT solution and it was her company using it. Can you imagine that I’m 64 (years old) and she’s 34 and I had to ask her, how was it? Is it something that I can use? And I have to have a 34-year-old woman advising me,” Robina recalled.

“I had no problem with that because she’s a very good supply chain lady,” she said.

At the end of the day, Robina, who spent her whole life in retail, said that one key lesson she wants to impart others is to emulate successful people, whether they are older or younger.

“I’ve learned the same thing from the two of them (older and younger people), it’s just that they have different kinds of knowledge,” she said.

Robina, who was first appointed president and COO in 1997 and who has been president and CEO of RRHI since 2018, has transitioned to the role of chairman at the start of the year.

Robina said that she did not have a hard time letting go of the position as she felt that the change was needed.

“I said I was too analog. I was too old. I have to pass this job to somebody younger. If you’re doing the same things everyday, you don’t notice all these mistakes. So you really need a younger person or a fresh pair of eyes,” Robina said.

“Succession only works when both sides do their part. Retail is a relay. Run your leg then pass the baton,” she added.

Despite continuing to be involved in the company as its chairman, Robina said she currently enjoys her freedom and doing other things like supporting the UP Fighting Maroons basketball team.