Cesar V. Purisima

Cesar V. Purisima is the Secretary of Finance of the Philippines, and the chair of the Economic Development Cluster of President Aquino’s Cabinet. He has been cited as Finance Minister of the Year five times — twice by Emerging Markets, and once each by Euromoney, The Banker, and most recently, FinanceAsia— in four consecutive years, a first in the history of the Department of Finance and the Philippines. He has led the Philippines into receiving its first investment grade ratings from the three major credit rating agencies. He is a certified public accountant, and served as Chairman and Managing Partner of the country’s largest professional services firm, SGV & Co, and Area Managing Partner for Asia-Pacific for Assurance and Business Services of Andersen Worldwide. He was also a member of the Global Executive Board of Ernst & Young Global, and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank.