Long-serving PLDT chief Manuel Pangilinan (pictured) stepped down as CEO during its annual shareholders’ meeting, replaced by head of its mobile unit Alfredo Panlilio.

Pangilinan will remain chairman of the Philippines-based operator: he stated the decision to retire was made less difficult by the choice of Panlilio as CEO, citing the mobile chief’s long experience with PLDT.

Panlilio’s tenure means he will “be able to take my place, without interruption or detriment to the progress of PLDT”, Pangilinan explained.

The new CEO joined PLDT in 1999, was appointed chief revenue officer in 2019 and later named president and CEO of Smart Communications.

He retains the chief revenue officer role.

Pangilinan replaced Napoleon Nazareno as PLDT’s president and CEO in 2016, his second time in the chief executive position following an earlier stint commenced in 1998.

Over the last five years, he oversaw the company’s digital transformation programme, and modernisation of its networks and IT platforms. In 2020, it recorded its highest full-year revenue, despite the impact of the Covid-19 (coronvirus) pandemic.