PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former UnionDigital Bank president and chief executive officer Henry Rhoel Aguda as the new secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced Thursday.
“Aguda’s experience spans the banking, technology and telecommunications sectors,” the PCO said in a statement.
“His specialty is in digital transformation, digital banking and financial crimes,” it added.
Aguda replaced Ivan John Uy who resigned earlier this month.
Prior to his new appointment, Aguda served as the Digital Infrastructure Lead at the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), a council tasked to assist the Marcos administration in fostering innovative synergies between the private and public sectors.
Before joining UnionDigital Bank, he was the board chairperson of both City Savings Bank and UBX Philippines.
Aguda also worked as director of Insular Health Care, BancNet, Metaverse Ventures and Platforms and Philippine Clearing House Corp.; senior executive vice president, among other positions, at Union Bank of the Philippines; and chief technology officer at Amihan Global Strategies, Globe Telecom, Government Service Insurance System, and Digitel.
He was also in charge of software development services at WeServ Systems International, led Nextel’s information operations, was assistant vice president at Bayantel Communication Holdings, and managed the corporate data network for the Manila Electric Company.
Aguda completed his Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree at the University of the Philippines, graduating cum laude in both instances.
He also took graduate studies in Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and joined the Strategic Alliance Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Aguda is currently taking his master’s degree in Applied Business Economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific. (PNA)