The Philippines has one of the fastest-growing fintech sectors in the world. Fintech is driving rapid innovation and growth in the Philippines and has fueled the country's ambitions in creating a digital economy.

This podcast will explore the impact of fintech on the Philippine economy, highlighting the benefits it has brought to consumers and businesses alike. It will also discuss some of the challenges facing fintech in the Philippines, and consider how these might be overcome in order to ensure continued growth and innovation in this important sector.

About our guests

John Paul V. De Leon

John Paul V. De Leon is a partner of SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw). Mr. de Leon is a member of the firm’s Special Projects and Banking, Finance and Securities departments. He has a wide-ranging M&A and investments practice but specializes in real estate development and land, retail (including online retail), and media. 

In the banking and finance sector, Mr. de Leon regularly advises banks and financial institutions in connection with cross-border foreign currency loans, bonds and debt securities transactions. Mr. De Leon advised foreign investors in their acquisition of a significant stake in a Philippine rural bank. He was also part of the team that handled the sale of 100% of the equity in a Philippine commercial bank.

Mr. de Leon is also one of the firm’s lawyers in the forefront of its fintech practice. He has been part of M&A teams that have handled key transactions in this area including the investment of a significant PRC-based online/IT entity into the fintech companies of one of the Philippines’ major telecommunications companies.  He regularly advises companies engaged in money remittance, payment services, and e-money issuances, on various issues including Central Bank regulation, credit information and AMLA laws.  He and the firm’s fintech group also advise on blockchain technology-related services and cryptocurrency.

Mr. de Leon is a “Next Generation Partner” for Real Estate and Construction in Legal 500’s 2021 and 2022 rankings. 

Link to corporate profile: https://syciplaw.com/lawyers/partners/JPVDeLeon

Rose Marie M. King-Dominguez

Rose Marie is a partner of SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw). She is a TMT specialist and helps lead the firm’s TMT group. She handles M&A, investments and regulatory work.

She acted for Comcast in its recent acquisition of Masergy, as well as for NomuPay in the purchase of Wirecard’s Philippine entity. In the 2022 auction of tower assets by the Philippines’ leading telecommunications operator, she was part of a team advising one of the bidders. She also acted for an international e-commerce and service group in an acquisition project targeting a leading provider of telemedicine. In last year’s offer by Globe Telecoms of an interest in its data center business, she assisted one of the bidders conducting due diligence and structuring review that required consultations with the telecoms regulator. She also assisted a data analytics and AI company in an acquisition of a Singapore-based e-commerce distribution business with a local presence. In 2020, she acted for a US-based private investment firm in its investment in a manufacturer of products for the electronic industry, with a branch in the Philippines. 

Her M&A experience covers a range of industries from fintech (e.g., the investment by Ant Financial in Globe Telecom’s fintech business [GCash] and the investment by KKR and Tencent in PLDT/Smart’s fintech enterprise [Paymaya] to tobacco [JTI’s acquisition of Mighty] to healthcare [GIC’s investment in the Metro Pacific hospital group] including telehealth and pharma, to cement [structuring work for Lafarge Holcim]).

She advises some of the most prominent global entities in technology and media on various matters, including market entry and regulatory matters, and has helped some of them establish a local presence. Among these clients are a US technology conglomerate that operates a number of popular platforms, another US technology company that focuses on, among others, search engine technology and cloud solutions, an international e-commerce company well known for its retail platform, and a US multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate.  

She is one of the principal data privacy experts of the firm and is a regular speaker and contributor on the topics of data privacy and cybersecurity (e.g., see article contributed to Data Protection Leader on “The challenges under the new data privacy regime”). She and her team run compliance seminars and training for data privacy for clients. 

Some of Ms. King-Dominguez’ most recent awards and citations include:

Band 2 in Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global 2022
Band 2 in Corporate/M&A, Chambers Asia Pacific 2022
Spotlight ranking, TMT, Chambers Asia Pacific 2022
Cited as one of the Leading Lawyers in the Philippines, Chambers Asia Pacific Leading Lawyers and Law Firms 2022
Leading Individual in TMT, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2013 to 2022)
Recommended Lawyer in Corporate and M&A, and TMT, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021-2022
Highly-regarded Lawyer, IFLR1000 (2015 to 2021)
Distinguished Practitioner in Technology and Telecommunications, asialaw Profiles 2021-2023
One of the Top 100 Lawyers in the Philippines, Asia Business Law Journal 2021-2022
Global Leader, Recommended Lawyer in Fintech, Who’s Who Legal 2021-2022
National Leader, Recommended Lawyer in Data, Southeast Asia, Who’s Who Legal 2021-2022

Link to corporate profile: https://syciplaw.com/lawyers/partners/RMMKingDominguez