On 2 July 2025, The MarTech Summit returned to Manila, bringing together over 250 senior marketing, digital, data, and technology leaders from across the Philippines, Southeast Asia and beyond. The day was filled with impactful sessions, future-focused discussions, and practical insights, delivered through keynotes, fireside chats, and panel discussions.
We were honoured to host thought leaders and delegates from top organisations such as GCash, UnionBank, BPI, Diageo, Globe Telecom, foodpanda, Maya, AIA Philippines, and more. The summit fostered an environment of peer exchange and industry-wide collaboration on the ever-evolving role of technology in marketing.
More than 90% of attendees were Senior Manager level and above, and over 60% came from large companies with more than 500 employees.
Summit Highlights
This year’s Manila summit tackled some of the most urgent and transformative themes in the MarTech space, including:
- AI-Driven Personalisation & Customer Journey Optimisation
- Decision-Based Analytics & Data Hygiene
- Omnichannel Experience & Privacy-First Engagement
- Cross-Functional Collaboration for Revenue Growth
- The Future of AI, Automation, and Customer Data Platforms
Key Topics & Takeaways
“Marketers need to move from being data-driven to being decision-driven. It starts by asking better questions, focusing on uplift, and letting analytics support choices—not dictate them.”
— Oscar Pobre, Head of CRM & Data Solutions, GCash.
“Collaboration is fundamentally human. As leaders, we must make people feel seen and heard, foster psychological safety, and encourage smart failures.”
— Martin Arranz, Head of Digital Marketing, Federal Land, Inc.
“The future isn’t one channel – it’s every channel working together. We must create connected, customer-first experiences that are scalable and flexible.”
— Michelle Maayo Rabang, Vice President, Marketing Delivery Lead, J.P. Morgan
“Invest in technology and in your people. Loyal customers are the currency of business expansion.”
— Hilate Guerra, Head of E-commerce, Meatworld International
“Be where your customers are – digitally and physically. Adapt quickly, and embrace the mindset to ‘Fail Fast, Learn Fast.’”
— Wendy Talan, Head of E-commerce & Digital, Diageo
“Know your cohorts by organising your data. When you understand who you’re talking to, your messaging becomes truly relevant.”
— Apple Chang, Director, Marketing, Dragon Edge Group
“Establish the repeatable outcomes you want for your customers, then build your AI and personalisation around that.”
— Patrick Seva Gaerlan, Head of Growth Enablement & MarTech, AIA Philippines
“AI in personalisation is a growth lever—but it starts with clear intent and cross-functional commitment.”
— Katrina Navarro, Director, Growth, UnionDigital Bank
“To make personalisation deliver real business results, pick the right channel. Conversational AI in messaging apps enables seamless, end-to-end customer journeys.”
— Marc Palomares, Partnerships Account Manager, Rakuten Viber
Breakout Session
This year’s summit stood out not only for its forward-thinking keynotes and dynamic panels but also for the exclusive Customer Data Demystified breakout sessions, a standout feature that offered attendees a deeper, more tactical dive into the realities of data-driven marketing. These sessions explored how to build a data-first culture across siloed teams and how to scale AI and automation responsibly within marketing workflows. Senior leaders from Globe Telecom, Security Bank, Copeland, PLDT, and FWD Life Insurance led practical discussions on AI governance, data trust, and cross-functional collaboration, making the breakouts a hands-on complement to the strategic main stage content.
“Educate stakeholders and create responsible AI governance. Start small, aligned with strategy—don’t boil the ocean.”
— Iris Abustan – Alfonso, Director, Data Management, Copeland
“AI must be grounded in reality. Start with clear use cases and let them champion the push for broader AI adoption.”
— Patricia Manasan, Vice President & Head of Data Science, Security Bank Corporation
“Build AI with purpose, not just speed. At Globe, we design AI with guardrails, keeping people at the center to ensure it remains accountable, transparent, and human-centric.”
— Derick Adil, Senior Director, AI & Privacy Governance, Globe Telecom
Poll & Engagement Highlights
Throughout the day, live polls captured real-time feedback from attendees, revealing key challenges, priorities, and perspectives shaping the future of MarTech across Southeast Asia:
AI in Personalisation:
- 34% of respondents believe real-time customer support (e.g. chatbots) is currently where AI is making the biggest impact, followed closely by product/content recommendations (31%). Traditional use cases like email personalisation (17%) and predictive behaviour analysis (13%) continue to play a role, but with less perceived impact.
Barriers to Personalised CX:
- The top challenge faced by organisations is siloed data across channels (35%), followed closely by a lack of real-time insights (31%). Privacy, limited tools, and uncertainty on where to begin round out the list—highlighting the continued need for unified data infrastructure.
Marketing Analytics Gaps:
- 42% of attendees say their biggest challenge is that they lack the tools or talent to fully utilise analytics. Another 31% admitted they’re still struggling to connect data to decisions, reinforcing the call for stronger data-literacy and ROI-aligned analytics strategies.
Marketing to Gen Z & Gen Alpha:
- A dominant 52% cited “catching and keeping their attention” as the top difficulty when engaging younger audiences, with 24% struggling to create content that feels truly authentic. These insights echo the panel discussion on Next-Gen Marketing, emphasizing that attention is the new currency in digital engagement.
Unique Summit Features
- Interactive Format: Fireside chats and panels allowed candid sharing from C-level executives and senior leaders.
- Diverse Use Cases: From banking to FMCG, speakers presented a wide spectrum of practical, region-specific insights.
- Community Building: Industry networking during sessions and breaks sparked collaborations across sectors.
Closing Thoughts
The MarTech Summit Manila 2025 succeeded in delivering a multi-dimensional learning experience, showcasing how Southeast Asian brands are moving from data overload to purposeful, strategic execution. As AI reshapes the marketing landscape, the summit proved that ethics, collaboration, and measurement remain the cornerstones of sustainable growth.
See you next year!
- Catch the recap here: The MarTech Summit Highlights
Future Engagement
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our partners and MarTech enthusiasts who attended and contributed to the outstanding networking and knowledge-sharing at the summit. Your participation was key to the event’s success, and we eagerly anticipate further collaboration and growth together.
The MarTech Summit Team is delighted to have hosted such an exceptional and interactive community once again. Stay connected with us for future updates by following our social media accounts!
Find our summit updates and latest MarTech insights on:
For those who missed the live sessions or wish to revisit them, access the BEETc On-Screen on our learning platform. Let’s continue to connect, learn, and innovate together.
To see more our upcoming summits in 2025, please visit: https://themartechsummit.com/events/
We hope to see you at our future events and let’s continue pushing the boundaries of what it means to be marketers together!
Stay tuned for updates!
By: Namsa | July 2025
