Ernesto Rosario Alberto, a seasoned expert in the telecommunications and banking sectors, is now leading DITO Telecommunity, the Philippines' dynamic third major telecommunications player.
In his first few years at DITO, Alberto is already steering the newcomer company into a rising star within the Philippines' highly competitive telecom market.
A Transformative Leader
Ernesto Alberto's illustrious career features pivotal roles in the telecommunications industry. He currently juggles responsibilities as Chairman, President, and CEO of Digitel Crossing, Inc., Asia Netcom Philippines Corp., and Cruz Telephone Co.
His prior tenure as President and CEO of ePLDT, Inc. (2013-2019), and executive roles at PLDT Global, Inc. and Digital Telecommunications Philippines, Inc., highlight his extensive expertise.
Alberto's solid educational background includes a degree from San Beda College and advanced studies at the University of Asia & the Pacific.
Betting Big on DITO
In 2021, DITO launched as a new telecommunications company in a market dominated by established leaders. This challenging start led to poor stock performance in 2022. However, Alberto remained optimistic, envisioning a bright future for the company despite these initial setbacks.
Despite DITO's stock performance challenges in 2022, Alberto remained bullish about the company's prospects. In September 2022, he purchased 150,000 shares at P3.60 each, increasing his stake to 3.5 million shares valued at P12.53 million.
This confidence stands firm despite an 80% drop in DITO's share price from its February 2021 peak and reporting significant losses.
Strategic Leadership and Capital Infusion
In October 2023, Alberto took the reins as CEO of DITO Telecommunity, succeeding Dennis Uy, who continues as chairman. Uy expressed strong confidence in Alberto, citing his extensive experience in senior roles across the banking and telecom sectors.
"His appointment comes at an opportune time as we continue to maintain the Company on a high-growth trajectory," said Uy in a statement at the time.
That same month, DITO CME Holdings, DITO's parent company, secured P3.3 billion from a subscription agreement with Summit Telco Holdings Corp., issuing shares at P1 each.
Additionally, DITO acquired a $3.9 billion loan to propel its nationwide expansion, earmarking $1.3 billion for short-term bridge loan repayments, fueling plans to expand enterprise products and boost subscriber numbers to 10 million.
Impressive Achievements and Ambitious Goals
Under Alberto's leadership, DITO has surpassed expectations. The company's fourth technical audit revealed average broadband speeds of 74.97 Mbps for 4G and 639.32 Mbps for 5G. DITO's goal is to cover 84% of the Philippine population with a minimum average speed of 55 Mbps.
In February 2024, DITO was honored with the Ookla Speedtest Award as the Philippines' top mobile network, outpacing competitors Smart Communications and Globe Telecom with download speeds of 32 Mbps and 302.9 Mbps for 5G.
DITO's efforts were recognized at the 2024 Stevie Awards, where it won five awards for its GalingDITO campaign, among others. The company was also honored at the Asian Telecom Awards for its "Digital Initiative of the Year" and "Mobile App of the Year."
A Promising Future
Under Alberto's leadership, DITO Telecommunity is set to keep growing and improving. The company is making good progress in the tough telecom market in the Philippines.
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