Andrew Gotianun

Andrew Lo Gotianun Sr. (Chinese: 吳天恩; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Thian-un; November 24, 1927 – March 10, 2016) was a Chinese Filipino entrepreneur from the Philippines who had a net worth of US$900 million in 2015. He ran the Filinvest Development Corporation which owns most of Filinvest Land, Inc. and East West Banking Corporation.[1] Gotianun also focused on biofuels and has acquired two sugar mills and a plantation.[2] As of 2008, his fortune had decreased sharply to $235 million, a result of the global financial downturn but in 2014 he is back to the billionaire ranks with a fortune over $1 billion according to Forbes.[3]

Andrew Gotianun
Born(1927-11-24)November 24, 1927
DiedMarch 10, 2016(2016-03-10) (aged 88)
NationalityFilipino
Occupationbusinessman
Net worthUS$900 million (2015)
TitleFilinvest Group of Companies Founder and Chairman Emeritus
Spouse(s)Mercedes Gotianun
Children4

Business career

Gotianun made a living from salvaging ships at the end of the Second World War. Several years later, he became involved in an automobile dealership.[1] Later, in 1955, he founded Filinvest Development Corporation a company which became engaged in real estate in 1967.[4] Gotaniun and his wife, Mercedes, temporarily retired from business activities in the 1980s but returned a short time later, with a plan to make improvements to the corporation.[5] He is among those honored at the BizNewAsia Real Estate Who is Who (BREW) awards.[6]

Private life

Gotianun and fellow businessman John Gokongwei were distant cousins[7] and members of the notable Go clan in Cebu.[8] Gotianun's grandfather (simplified Chinese: 吴文皎; traditional Chinese: 吳文皎; pinyin: Wú Wénjiǎo; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Bûnkiáu), Hispanized as "Go Quiao Co" (simplified Chinese: 吴皎哥; traditional Chinese: 吳皎哥; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘-kiáu-ko) was a half brother of Gokongwei's great-grandfather Pedro Singson Gotiaoco. His son, Andrew Gotianun Jr., is the vice-president of Filinvest Land.[9]

References

  1. "The Top 10 Richest in the Philippines". PinoyBusiness.org: Global Filipino Business and Investing Community. Tampines, Singapore: Pinoy Business Organization. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  2. "The Philippines' 40 Richest: #7 Andrew Gotianun". Forbes.com. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  3. "Sy, Tan are RP's richest - Forbes". ABS-CBN News Online Beta. October 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  4. "Filinvest Alabang: Filinvest Corporate City & Filinvest Development Corporation". JobsDB.com: Philippines. Hong Kong: Jobs Database Ltd. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  5. "Comeback couple: Andrew and Mercedes Gotianun, on their return from retirement, turned Filinvest into one of the Philippines' leading property developers". Review Publishing Company Ltd. (Hong Kong). Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  6. "Honoring property titans". The Manila Times Internet Edition. December 4, 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  7. Flores, Wilson Lee (20 June 2010). "The secret father of President Sergio Osmeña & forebear of John Gokongwei, Jr., Gaisanos, Gotianuns". Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  8. "PGMA's Speech during the Cebu Business Month Festival and the 9th Grand Chamber Awards 2004 of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc". Office of the Press Secretary Online. Manila, Philippines: Government of the Republic of the Philippines. 21 June 2004. Archived from the original on 31 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  9. "Filinvest Land to put up business hotel in Davao". Business Mirror. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-24.


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