Xandra Ramos-Padilla

Managing Director, National Book Store

My childhood dream was to be a journalist or an author. My dream now is to make National Book Store a globally competitive Filipino brand delivering great customer experiencing across a strong brick and mortar network complemented with an online channel. For me, success means continuing the legacy and building upon the successes of my Lola Coring, Socorro Ramos, founder of National Book Store and at the same time being a good mother to my kids and wife to my husband. My business icon is my grandmother. Lola Coring showed that success is achieved through hard work and perseverance. The best thing my parents (Alfredo Ramos and Presy Ramos), taught me is to believe in myself and pursue my passions, while working for them.

The best part of my job is traveling around the world to discover new brands and new ideas to share with consumers as well as meeting authors whose books I greatly admire.

Legacy to me is making a lasting difference to communities by encouraging kids to love reading and learning, by giving them access to books and school supplies.

In 30 years, I’d like the Philippines to evolve into a society that puts the highest value on education and learning and embraces the importance of reading and writing in our culture.