From banker to builder: PHINMA’s Danielle del Rosario embraces family legacy

Danielle del Rosario, the granddaughter of PHINMA Corp. co-founder Ambassador Ramon del Rosario Sr., is proving that business acumen runs in the family. Previously a banker, Danielle is now embracing her industrialist side. Instead of taking a break on her 47th birthday, she braved the scorching heat to dig the inaugural hole for her family’s insulated panel factory in Porac, Pampanga. “This groundbreaking is very important and significant for us,” she told Bilyonaryo.com during the event. “This can’t be postponed. My birthday can be celebrated another day.”

As the chief operating officer of Union Insulated Panel Corp., Danielle is leading PHINMA’s expansion into cold storage solutions. This division, which she previously managed within PHINMA’s construction materials group, has now been spun off as a separate entity. The new factory marks PHINMA’s first manufacturing facility since the conglomerate, led by her father, bilyonaryo and former Finance Secretary Ramon del Rosario Jr., inaugurated a cement plant in 2017. While the investment in this project is less than half of the P2 billion spent on the cement plant, the P700 million state-of-the-art facility is poised to become the leading local player in cold storage solutions. PHINMA currently ranks among the top four suppliers in this growing sector.

Danielle is the third of the former finance secretary’s four daughters and the only one currently involved in PHINMA, which has investments in cement, schools, hotels, and solar energy. Cold storage solutions are emerging as a critical sector in the Philippines, especially as the country seeks to strengthen its cold chain infrastructure for food security. The increasing impact of climate change is also driving demand for insulated panels, which have applications beyond storage, including in residential homes.

“It’s not the most glamorous nor prestigious, but it’s a great way to learn,” Danielle said, explaining why she took on the challenge of running PHINMA’s insulated panel business. “Being open to new experiences has been the way that I have been picking up a lot of learning.” Those who knew her as a child might not be surprised by her current role. “I had Barbie dolls, but I preferred the toys of my male cousins,” she shared. “I liked bikes, I liked being outside. I was tomboyish. I wasn’t girly. I am not delicate. I have always been one of the boys.”

Despite stepping into a traditionally male-dominated field, Danielle believes her perspective brings added value to the business. “If it’s a man or an engineer, the factory will be built, and you will get the products,” she said. “But will you get the approach to delight the customers and provide them with solutions to meet their changing needs?” While growing sales is a priority, her biggest challenge lies in mastering the factory’s operations.

Rather than relying solely on experts, Danielle is committed to understanding the inner workings of the business herself. Since joining PHINMA, she has taken advice from vice chairman Magdaleno Albarracin to heart: “Don’t just think about it or be content with reading it from the email or the internet,” she recalled. “He’d tell us to go to the plant, feel it, smell it, and understand the process.”

Danielle’s journey within PHINMA has been marked by impressive achievements. She initially joined the conglomerate’s foundation in 2011 before being recruited in 2013 by former Energy Secretary Francisco Viray to head corporate affairs at PHINMA’s Trans-Asia Oil & Energy Development Corp. From 2016 to 2019, she led PHINMA’s electricity business to become the second-largest single electricity supplier in the country in 2018. When PHINMA exited the energy sector in 2019, she was appointed vice president of the conglomerate.

Despite her deep involvement in the family business, Danielle insists that she is not driven by obligation. “Getting involved with growing businesses is important to me,” said the business administration and accountancy graduate from the University of the Philippines. “I am not obliged or required to do what I am doing.” The expertise of PHINMA’s board, which she describes as unmatched, has also played a crucial role in shaping her career decisions.

Reflecting on her academic background, Danielle admits she might have chosen differently. “I wish I had taken engineering or architecture,” she said. “I love technical discussions. I love design. I am fascinated with the way engineers think. It’s so detailed.” Nevertheless, her strategic approach has been invaluable. “What I like to bring is that whole strategic approach which is often overlooked,” she said. “Now that we’re aware, what’s the next step? Where can we go from here?”

Balancing work and family, Danielle starts her day at 6 A.M. and often works until midnight while raising her three teenage daughters. Amid her packed schedule, she finds time for reading. One of the books that has influenced her most is Atomic Habits by James Clear, which emphasizes the importance of strong systems in achieving goals. “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems,” she quoted. “If something goes wrong, don’t dismiss it by saying it can’t be. Instead, you have to examine the system to understand why it failed.”

However, the book that resonates most deeply with her is The Making of an Entrepreneur, a biography of her grandfather, who was instrumental in shaping Philippine industry. Besides founding local cement companies after World War II, he also established the Filipino Oil Company, which later became Petron, the nation’s largest oil company. “It opened my eyes,” Danielle said. “My lolo founded businesses on the conviction that Filipinos can do it. That planted the seeds for our family. Part of what I do and I commit every day is to continue the legacy.”

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