Asia Society Philippines joined adobo Magazine and Unilever Philippines to highlight the power of female leadership and sustainable innovation in the creative industry at the adobo Magazine SheCreative Conference 2024. The event was held last March 26 at Shangri-La The Fort, Taguig City, and showcased an impressive line-up of women leaders.

The conference featured insightful speeches from Senator Loren Legarda, Senate President Pro Tempore; Pia Gonzalez-Colby, Chief Marketing Officer of Globe Telecom; Merlee Jayme, Founder of The Misfits Camp; Jane Jimenez-Basas, president and CEO of MediaQuest Holdings; Rhea Matute, Executive Director of the DTI - Design Center of the Philippines; Lui Castañeda, PR and Influencer Lead (PH/MY/SG) of Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing; Lisa Collins, Director of Experience Platforms at Accenture Song; and Peachy Pacquing, Managing Director of Hyper Island Asia Pacific. News anchor and TV host Gretchen Ho served as the host of the conference.

Ms. Angel Guerrero, founder, president, and editor-in-chief of adobo Magazine, opened the conference by highlighting its theme, Forging a Sustainable Future for Creativity. She emphasized the importance of the creative industry in the initiatives for sustainable development and how women play a significant role in ensuring a future for creatives. Ms. Guerrero shared that “their [women] unique perspectives, skill set, gives them an advantage allowing them to create futureproof plans for arts and culture.”

Keynote speaker Sen. Loren Legarda, stressed the importance of creativity in the age of AI, sharing that creativity is the “antidote to AI” and serves as a counterbalance to the rapid advancements in AI and technology. Sen. Legarda also highlighted the role of women in the initiatives to protect, promote, and strengthen the creative industries in the country. 

Esteemed speakers shared their perspectives on creativity, AI, and technology, as well as how to forge a sustainable future for creativity in their respective industries. Globe Telecom’s Pia Gonzalez-Colby shared the role of creativity in brand resilience, while The Misfits Camp’s Merlee Jayme talked about the challenges of AI in advertising and shared the ways to navigate these challenges and adapt to these technologies. MediaQuest’s Jane Jimenez-Basas shared that “technology was not the end of human creativity, a tool for it yes, but not the end.”

Accenture Song’s Lisa Collins addressed the fear of the possibility of AI uprooting the creative industry, sharing that “we believe that generative AI is not going to replace people, it is the people who know how to use generative AI that are going to replace people.” Hyper Island’s Peachy Pacquing added to this by asserting that to secure the future of creativity in the age of AI, we must broaden our horizons and face these emerging technologies and changes.

Design Center of the Philippines’ Rhea Matute highlighted how creativity and innovation push forward sustainable initiatives in the country. Meanwhile, Unilever’s Lui Castañeda recounted how working in the creative field allowed her to promote inclusivity and help individuals become represented in the beauty industry.

The conference showcased the immense power of the creative industry, which extends beyond entertainment and craftsmanship to serve as a catalyst for change. Women leaders stand as beacons illuminating the path to a redefined future for the country’s creative industries in the midst of a technological revolution and emerging challenges.

The event was organized and presented by adobo Magazine and Unilever Philippines and made possible through and with the support of partners: Asia Society Philippines, Future Proof, Cignal TV, RMN Marketing & Media Ventures Inc., Shangri-La The Fort, Jollibee, PepsiCo, Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines (DMAP), Philippines LGBT Chamber of Commerce, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, WomenBizPH, Cebu Pacific Air, Lily of the Valley, Yoli, and Greenbulb Communications.