Manuel "Manny" Velez Pangilinan, , also known by his initials MVP, is a Filipino businessman and sports patron. He is the managing director and CEO of First Pacific Company Limited, a Hong Kong-based investment management and holding company with operations in the Asia-Pacific region. Pangilinan, also known as Manny Pangilinan and MVP is also First Pacific's chief executive for the group's investments in the Philippines, such as Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, PLDT and Philex Mining Corporation. He is chairman Emeritus of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and was its first president, having served two consecutive terms from 2007 to 2018.
Pangilinan's first job was as the Executive Assistant to the President of the Philippine Investment Management Consultants, Inc. where he served for six years. In 1976, Pangilinan relocated to Hong Kong as executive director at Bancom International, an investment bank, where he gained experience in international finance. He then went on to the American Express in Hong Kong as an investment banker In Hong Kong, Pangilinan co-founded First Pacific in 1981 with Liem Sioe Liong and his son, Anthoni Salim. Through First Pacific, Pangilinan returned to the Philippines after 22 years with a number of investments under Metro Pacific Investment Corporation. As chairman of Metro Pacific, Pangilinan contributed to nation building through major investments in power distribution and energy innovations, urban water concession, tollways, upgrading hospitals and health services. He is also Chairman of TV5 and Philex Mining Corporation. In 1998, First Pacific acquired PLDT, the largest telecommunications firm in the Philippines. The company, which had once been troubled by debt and technological issues, improved under First Pacific's management to become the nation's leading provider of digital communications. Pangilinan is also a major patron of Philippine sports. He owns three PBA teams – TNT KaTropa, the Meralco Bolts and the NLEX Road Warriors. He founded the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines. He served as the first president of SBP for two consecutive terms. He is currently the chairman emeritus of SBP.. He was elected to the Central Board of FIBA in 2014. Moreover, his MVP Sports Foundation has supported other Philippine athletes, some of whom won gold medals in the 2018 Asian Games.
Involvement in sports
Pangilinan is a sports patron who funds basketball due to coming from a basketball family. His mother is a fan of the San Beda Lions basketball team and is best friends with Caloy Loyzaga and his father plays the sport along with baseball and tennis. Pangilinan himself plays badminton. Through the MVP Foundation, Pangilinan also funds initiatives on badminton, boxing, golf and taekwondo.
