Christopher A. Ilagan joined PepsiCo Inc. last August 2023. He provides strategic leadership in the company’s government affairs, public policy, external communications, corporate responsibility and sustainability practice areas across the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and North Asia markets.
Over the years, Chris has built his expertise in the government and regulatory affairs space. Before joining PepsiCo, Chris was the Corporate Affairs Director for Cargill Philippines, Inc. and has served as a government relations/public policy professional in 3M Philippines, Manila Water Company, Inc. and International Container Terminal Services, Inc. prior to that.
Because of his work in the local water space, Chris has maintained a personal advocacy on water sustainability and governance. He was the immediate past Chairperson of the Philippine Water Partnership – a non-government organization dedicated to the advancement of integrated water resource management – and continues to be involved in various policy dialogues geared towards improving the management of water resources in the country. He has recently been appointed as the Chair of the Global Water Partnership – Southeast Asia. In November 2021, Chris was also appointed to the Steering Committee of the Global Water Partnership based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Chris is an active member of the local business community as a leader and member in a number of associations. Besides his role as the Agribusiness Committee Chair of the AmCham Philippines, he concurrently chairs the Chamber’s Legislative Committee. He is also a Trustee of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and of the Foundation for Economic Freedom. In 2021, he was appointed by the Philippine Secretary of Agriculture as the Head of the National Yellow Corn Roadmap Development Team tasked to craft a long-term plan for the country’s yellow corn sector.
Chris holds a Masters of Political Economy with specialization in International Relations and Development from the University of Asia and the Pacific, where he also received his Bachelor of Art in Humanities.