JOSE P. LEVISTE, JR. – Chairman of the Board

Mr. Leviste is a senior development economist/planner of international stature. He has an excellent 17-year track record in public service including his election as Delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention in November 1970, appoinment as Secretary-General of the Office of the Prime Minister, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Executive Director of the National Council on Integrated Area Development (NACIAD), Chairman of the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB), and Executive Director of the Energy Development Board (EDB) and has had many years of experience in the private sector in the Philippines and other Pacific Rim countries. He is Editor of the book, “Pacific Lake: Philippine Perspective on a Pacific Economic Community” and Author of the books,“Food for Thought on Agricultural Strategies for Developing Countries” and “Transitions, Essays on the Philippines and the Pacific Rim.”

He was Chairman of the Philippine Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee (PPECC) in 1987-1992. He is currently involved in joint-venture agro-industrial and land development projects in the Philippines and United States and is also active in the investment promotion of Philippine projects in the US and in the distribution of world-class Philippine exports to the United States and Canada. He is the Chairman of the Philippine-Myanmar Business Council, which seeks to promote business ventures and economic cooperation between the Philippines and Myanmar. He is also a Business Associate of the Asia Pacific Research Center of Stanford University.

He is currently involved in joint-venture agro-industrial and land development projects in the Philippines and United States and is also active in the investment promotion of Philippine projects in the US and in the distribution of world-class Philippine exports to the United States and Canada. Mr. Leviste is the Chairman of the Philippine-Myanmar Business Council, which seeks to promote business ventures and economic cooperation between the Philippines and Myanmar. He is also a Business Associate of the Asia Pacific Research Center of Stanford University.

Mr. Leviste holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University, a Master of Arts in Economics from Fordham University, and an MBA in International Business from Columbia University in New York City.