YOUNGBLOOD OF REAL ESTATE
At the age of 42, Manuel Paolo Villar has proven himself to be a major player in the business, making a name for himself in the real estate empire built by his father.
The eldest son of business tycoon Manuel Villar Jr. and Sen. Cynthia Villar did not immediately venture into the same industry nor did he hold a position in one of the family businesses after finishing his studies.
Upon graduating from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor of science in economics and bachelor of applied science in 1999, he worked for global management consulting firm Mckinsey and Co. in the United States. It was only in 2001, two years after he finished his studies, when Paolo then returned to Manila to join the Vista Land group, where he held various senior positions.
Since then, Paolo became the chief financial officer of Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. and became instrumental in the public listing of the property developer on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
In 2011, a decade since he started working for the company, Paolo was appointed president and chief executive officer.
Vista Land is one of the leading home builders in the country, providing a wide range of housing products to customers across all income segments. The company sells house-and-lot packages and residential lots under the Brittany, Crown Asia, Lessandra and Camella brands.
Representing the group of companies, Paolo wanted to expand the company’s footprint by evolving with advanced technologies. In December 2019, the Villar Group partnered with Multisys Technologies Corp., a leading software solutions company, to deliver game-changing solutions that will benefit its consumers.
With Paolo at the helm of the Vista Land group, he has been outspoken about their family’s plans to diversify their businesses. In April 2018, he announced that the Villar family intended to venture into other capital-intensive businesses like telecommunications, integrated gaming and even infrastructure. September of the same year, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Villar-owned Streamtech Systems Technologies Inc. Being a property-based group, Paolo pointed out, could be an advantage to their plans of going into the telecom business as their developments could be used for the needed telecom infrastructure.
For Paolo, another industry where having real estate assets could be an advantage is the gaming industry, where the family also plans to establish a business. The group has applied for a gaming license with the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. before Malacañang ordered a moratorium on the processing of new applications last year. Through investment and holdings company Prime Asset Ventures Inc., also led by Paolo, the group had proposed to build the gaming complex called “Gold Coast Entertainment City” on a 10- to 15-hectare site along C5 extension in Las Piñas. He further said the group is keen to invest in infrastructure and other projects that would contribute to national development, adding that airport development is a possibility.
Villar has been outspoken about their family’s plans to diversify their businesses