JESUS B. VARELA, Filipino, was elected as Lead Independent Director on 30 June 2016. He is also an Independent Director of Megaworld Corporation. He graduated with an Economics degree in 1979 from Ateneo de Manila University. He attended training courses in Labor Administration and Policy Formulation under the International Labor Organization/ARPLA program, the Corporate Planning Course at the Center for Research Communication, Foreign Exchange Training by Metro Bank and Forex Club of the Philippines, Systems Analysis by the Presidential Management Staff, Asian Productivity Seminar and other in-house seminars conducted by the Department of Labor and the Development Academy of the Philippines. He is presently the Chairman of Committee on Trade, and Bureau of Customs Consultative Group of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is also the Director General of International Chamber of Commerce Philippines. Currently, he is the President of Philippine Greek Business Council, Philippine Peru Business Council and Advancement of Workers’ Awareness Regarding Employment (AWARE) Foundation, Inc. He is also Member of Committee for Accreditation of Cargo Surveying Companies. Apart from his previous government experience, he used to be the Managing Director of SAS Holdings Co., Vice President- International Operations of Catleya Manning Corp. and President of Manila Center. He also previously worked as a Marketing Director for FELA Sales International and a Management Consultant of ABL Consultancy and Management Services, Inc.ent of Labor and the Development Academy of the Philippines.
