ESTHER A. VIBAL: Writer, Publisher, Entrepreneur, Socio-Civic Leader and Philanthropist

Esther A. Vibal is the epitome of an icon of our time. She is the recipient of various awards and recognitions for her many accomplishments as a businesswoman and socio-civic leader; Outstanding Entrepreneur (2014 Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards), 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award for Education (Go Negosyo), 2015 MVP Bossing Award (PLDT SME Nation/Go Negosyo), 2012 Most Outstanding Citizen of Quezon City, 2010 Ernst & Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (SGV Foundation), 2010 Most Inspiring Woman of the Year (Go Negosyo), and the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency, 2010). However, such accolades hardly define the person Esther A. Vibal truly is.

Esther is Chairperson of Vibal Publishing House, Inc. — now known as the Vibal Group —with established partnerships with global and strategic brands (Google, Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, Acer, HP, McGraw-Hill Education, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and regional partners (Watana Panich, Putra Nagraha, Erlangga Penerbit, Gramedia, Toppan Forms, Goyal Brothers, and the Ministries of Education of Taiwan, South Korea, and Malaysia). Vibal Asia, based in Singapore, is the newest member of the group of companies. As part of its ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) strategy, the Vibal Group has spearheaded the launch of the Asian Alliance for Technology in Education (ASIANATE) — a consortium of Asian content providers transitioning from print to digital publishing while standardizing on shared standards and platforms.

Moving beyond publishing and into the fast-moving and dynamic world of technology, Esther is leading the charge to reconfiguring the company brand for the 21st century, from print to digital, and from a manufacturing-oriented business to one that reflects a multi-faceted public image and culture. The company now has core businesses in systems integration, network design and infrastructure, publishing, printing, and technology solutions specialized for education, government, and private enterprise. Vibal is building up on its image as a go-to technology partner not just in the Philippines, but across the region.

Apart from her keen interest on matters concerning technology though, Esther is an accomplished journalist, writer, businesswoman, publisher, printer, socio-civic organizer and philanthropist. But more than anything, she is an inspiration to Filipinos everywhere; a role model not just for women but for everyone.