History

A Narrative of Entrepreneurial Spirit

Ayala’s entrepreneurial spirit and drive to find new areas of growth allowed the group to endure and evolve, and become one of the Philippines’ largest and most diversified conglomerates.

1834

Founding partners Domingo Roxas and Antonio de Ayala establish Casa Roxas, investing the bulk of its assets in a distillery, which is considered the country’s first industry.

1851

El Banco Espanol Filipino de Isabel II, precursor of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, is the first bank in the Philippines.

1888

Tramcars, the country’s first public mass transportation system, is introduced and operated by Jacobo Zobel y Zangroniz.

1910

Ayala pioneers in insurance, first by investing in Insular Life then by establishing its own insurance companies.

1948

Joseph McMicking creates the Ayala Master Plan, the blueprint for today’s premier Makati business, commercial and residential district and the inspiration for many integrated communities that came after it.

1968

Ayala is incorporated.

1974

Ayala invests in Globe-Mackay Cable and Radio Corporation, the company’s first foray into telecommunications. Ayala partners with Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan to explore new growth sectors.

1976

Ayala becomes a publicly listed company.

1980

Ayala ventures into the electronics manufacturing services industry through Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc.

1988

Ayala Land is spun off to grow the real estate business.

1990

With its partners, Ayala invests in automotive dealerships, beginning with Honda passenger vehicles, followed by Isuzu in 1995. Filipinas Foundation, established by Joseph and Mercedes Zobel McMicking in 1961, is renamed Ayala Foundation, reflecting the Ayala group’s commitment to corporate social responsibility.

1993

Ayala partners with SingTel in Globe Telecom to pursue network modernization and to provide high-speed internet access.

1997

The consortium led by Ayala wins the water concession for Metro Manila’s East Zone and forms Manila Water.

2003

Ayala Land builds Bonifacio Global City, or BGC, and sets its sights on Nuvali in Laguna

2011

AC Energy invests in power generation.

2012

AC Infra, in partnership with the national government, begins to develop transport and highway infrastructure systems. AC Education is formed to provide quality, affordable private education.

2015

AC Health is established and begins with an investment in Generika pharmacies and FamilyDOC primary care clinics.

2016

Ayala’s automotive and manufacturing investments are consolidated under AC industrials. AC Energy surpasses its target of 1,000 megawatts of attributable capacity.

2017

Ayala makes key investments in fintech and e-commerce with tech start-ups like MedGrocer, Mynt and Zalora PH