Ryohei Ishii
Chairman and President
Mr. Ryohei Ishii has more than 15 years of experience in business development and project management in Japanese official development assistance (ODA)-funded projects in various parts of the world. A Civil Engineer by profession, Mr. Ishii is General Manager (GM) of the Business Promotion Department of Oriental Consultants Global (OCG) Japan. Aside from serving as PRIMEX Chairman, he is the GM of OCG’s offices in Sri Lanka and Thailand, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OCG East Africa and Latin America, and Director of OCG Thailand.
Elvira C. Ablaza
Chief Operating Officer
Ms. Vi Ablaza, PRIMEX Founder, served as the President and CEO for 31 years, steering its evolution into the premier international consulting firm that it is today. Not only was she responsible for overseeing PRIMEX’s day-to-day operations, she was also PRIMEX’s Chief Quality Assurance (QA) Officer and Project Director for development projects where PRIMEX is the Lead Firm. She also does consulting work for ADB and the UN agencies in natural resources management and environment in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region. Ms. Ablaza holds an MS in Biology (meritissimus) from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila and a BS in Biology (magna cum laude) from the College of the Holy Spirit (CHS) Manila.
Ponciano V. Cruz, Jr., Ll. B.
Corporate Secretary
Atty. Jackie Cruz is the Managing Partner of the Santiago, Cruz, and Associates Law Offices. Since 2007, he has been teaching at the College of Law at Adamson University and has been serving as one of the Trustees of the Board of Adamson University since 2013. He also serves as Trustee of La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong City and of the La Salle-Jaime Hilario School in Bagac, Bataan. He is also a Consultant on Legal and Regulatory Affairs to several broadcasting and telecommunication companies, such as Smart Communications, Inc., TV5, and Sun Cellular. Atty. Cruz joined the PRIMEX Board of Directors in 2015. He graduated with a degree in AB Philosophy from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and holds a Bachelor of Laws from the same university. He became a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Quezon City Chapter in 1991.
Ma. Lourdes F. Mercader
Director and Corporate Treasurer
Ms. Malou Mercader currently holds the position of Finance and Accounting Manager at OCG Philippine Branch. Prior to joining OCG, she was Accounting Manager at the global electric and power company subsidiary, Asea Brown Boveri, Inc. (ABB), from 1995-2002. She started her career with Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Co. of Manila Inc. (AG&P) from 1983 to 1991 before joining ABB as Project Accountant/Chief Accountant in 1991. Ms. Mercader graduated with the degree of BS in Accounting at St. Paul College Manila (SPCM) in March 1982 and became a certified public accountant (CPA) in March 1983.