Accomplished businessman and multi-awarded host RJ Ledesma will impart his insights on leadership, management, technological innovation and economic recovery with the next generation of industry movers at the 2022 SMIT: CEO and Leaders Congress.
Ledesma co-founded several companies including Mercato Centrale, the country’s largest night food market and food business incubator, which earned him the prestigious 2018 Agora Awardee for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship – Small Scale from the Philippine Marketing Association.
Under his leadership, Mercato likewise bagged the 2019 Asia CEO Awards Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Company of the Year Award, the 2019 Philippine Winner of the ASEAN Business Awards for SME Excellence in Innovation and the 2019 Asia Leaders Awards SME Company of the Year.
He was recognized with the 2018 Influencer of the Year Award for Advocacy in Entrepreneurship and finished as a finalist for the 2019 Young Businessman of the Year Award and the 2019 Young Leader of the Year Award at The Asia Leaders Awards.
The accredited GoNegosyo mentor likewise co-established EnterPh, a consultancy firm that helps foreign businesses outsource or offshore to the Philippines and Easy Franchise, a digital platform that provides management services and connects franchise owners with investors.
Ledesma currently shares his expertise through his broadcast platform, The RJ Ledesma Podcast, which reached Top 2 in Apple Podcasts for Entrepreneurship in the Philippines and Top 10 in Apple Podcasts for Business in the Philippines. He was voted Top Male Host in the #IBH Media Asia Pod Awards 2020, Asia’s premier 100% Listener Chosen Pod Awards that celebrates the most beloved shows in Asia.
As a television host, he is a veteran who has collaborated with business and lifestyle programs of ABS-CBN News, GMA News TV and TV5. He is currently one of the hosts of One News/Bloomberg TV’s Bright Ideas, where he interviews technology start-up companies and CNN Philippines’ Philippine Realty TV, where he tackles real estate development.
With 25 years of experience, Ledesma is also a Hall of Fame Awardee for Best Male Host at the 2019 Aliw Awards, the premier award-giving body for performing arts in the Philippines. He won the title in 2012, 2016 and 2018. He is the lone events and corporate host to have achieved the milestone.
He is also a three-time National Book Awards Finalist and a winner of the 2006 Philippine Star Lifestyle Journalism Awards.
Ledesma is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Board of Advisers of the De La Salle University-Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, Board of Trustee of the Virlanie Foundation, Inc., and Board of Adviser for Save the Children.
The 2022 SMIT: CEO and Leaders Congress is organized by the School of Management and Information Technology (SMIT) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
It is free and open to the public via Zoom and will be conducted on Friday, November 25, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Interested participants may register through this link.
For more information about Benilde SMIT, visit https://www.benilde.edu.ph/.
