MEGAWOMAN
Rhiza Pascua leads MMI to a new frontier
It was a sweltering hot summer in 2013, and I was at the beach listening to Rihanna’s album, Unapologetic. From the confidence-inducing beats of Phresh Out the Runway to the gut wrenching lyrics of Stay, it definitely my summer album of the year, and it continued my forever love for my #1 diva. It was great listening to her on my phone, but wishful thinking made me imagine how cool it would be to see her live. And as if the heavens were listening, news
to watch Depeche Mode, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Madonna, and U2.” This passion for music and love for the magic that live concerts bring might just have been the catalyst for MMI Live to be born. Armed with her graduate degrees in both UCLA and Harvard, she made MMI Live the Philippines’ premium talent provider and concert promoter. From legendary divas like Madonna, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Ariana Grande, to our favorite bands such as Coldplay, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, and Maroon 5, MMI Live has disrupted the live concert industry in the Philippines.
This year MMI Live is putting another star in its line up as U2 is set to perform at the Philippine Arena on December 11, 2019. What was once the go-to concert city for old-fashioned artists has now become the mecca for only the best pop artists of our time. And its all because of the team that works tirelessly behind the scenes and of course, Rhiza’s won’t-takeno-for-an-answer attitude.
Rhiza admits that she was once a micro-manager, but it has now been replaced with trust and confidence for her core group. “It’s safe to assume that MMI has been established and our structure as a well-oiled machine is something I’m very proud of. Now, I have focused mainly on innovation,” she says. “There’s never a day that I don’t read, consult, study, and analyze data that is useful for our company.” Though she admits math and numbers are quite a challenge for her, she has a solid team that backs her up every step of the way. As CEO of the company, Rhiza handles everything from making sure the company’s vision is implemented to creating new strategies, analyzing the market, the artists and the landscape, while developing leaders out of everyone in her team. In the midst of it all, Rhiza never forgets that rest, health, and taking care of herself and her family is just as important as being CEO. On the daily, Rhiza is either in London, Los Angeles, or Manila, where she starts as early as 6:00 A.M. to beat the jetlag, workout, go to mass, and handle family affairs before all the work calls and emails come in. This balanced lifestyle creates a success that is not just business-minded, but is all encompassing in Rhiza’s life. And as if she didn’t already have it all, Rhiza continues to innovate and learn as she goes back to school this 2020 while her leadership leads MMI Live to a merger this year, as well as a new venture involving her children. just broke out that MMI Live was bringing Rihanna and the Diamonds world tour to the Philippines. With no hesitation, I dug up my savings account and got myself a ticket on the first day of selling.
Just like many of us fan girls, Rhiza Pascua, MMI Live’s head honcho, started just the same. “I have always been a music lover and fan girl who starved herself to be able to watch concerts,” she shares. “I was in high school when I spent allowance