Early Life
Teresita Tan Sy-Coson was born in October 1950 in Plaridel, Bulacan, Philippines. She is the eldest child of Henry Sy, the founder of SM Investments Corporation, and Felicidad Tan. From a young age, Teresita was immersed in a business environment. Her father and paternal grandfather both owned shoe stores, and her mother had a retail clothing line. At the age of 8, she began selling shoes, learning the fundamentals of business firsthand.
Rise to Success
Sy-Coson graduated with a degree in commerce from Assumption College in Manila in 1970. Although she initially planned to pursue a master's degree, her father encouraged her to join the family business. She started her career at Shoemart (SM), which later became SM Retail. At 22, she was entrusted with opening the first SM department store in Manila. Under her leadership, the business grew significantly. She became president of SM Department Stores in 1990. Sy-Coson played a pivotal role in the establishment of BDO Unibank, transforming it into the leading financial institution in the Philippines.
Key Business Strategies
Sy-Coson's career has been marked by strategic vision and a focus on operational excellence. She is known for her ability to identify opportunities and drive growth. When she focused on the family's retail and savings bank, Banco de Oro, she implemented a mass-market strategy focusing on efficiency and customer needs, which involved longer banking hours, opening on Saturdays, and placing branches in malls. Her leadership has been instrumental in the expansion and diversification of SM Investments Corporation into retail, property, and banking.
Philanthropy
Sy-Coson actively supports various charitable organizations, particularly those focused on education and healthcare. She serves as the Vice Chairperson of SM Foundation, which focuses on social investments in education, healthcare, livelihood, and housing. During the pandemic, she spearheaded the donation of over 150,000 vaccine doses and guided the SM Foundation's contribution of over PHP 1.5 billion in hospital equipment.
