The President and CEO of COCOLIFE bares the revelations he has discovered in being a next-generation leader, as well as the legacy he seeks to establish in the uniquely-Filipino company
Business leaders around the country are getting younger and younger by the day. While many of them more or less seek to proclaim the same speech or make the same promises, one millennial leader shines as a clear diamond in the rough. Instilled with a distinct sense of servitude to his commitments, Atty. Martin Loon is focused on fulfilling his duty of believing in the Filipino; both in the bright future he seeks for himself and the anxieties he seeks solace from. Gifted with a knack for people and an acumen for the law of the land, the current President and CEO of COCOLIFE reflects on the milestones and challenges that define his story.
A career of dreaming and doing
At the present, Attorney Loon seems to be living the idyllic Filipino dream. As we were given the privilege to visit his wonderful home, we were greeted with gracious smiles and warm words from the young, yet stoic looking leader. From the get go, I knew that such a welcoming but grounded aura could no doubt have been built from the vast lifetime of experiences, triumphs, and realizations that the Attorney has accumulated in his life so far.
Step into the home of Attorney Loon and you will instantly see desks and cabinets adorned with all manners of awards, certifications, and scenic photos. Initially seeking a career strictly in the field of law, the Attorney is proud to be an esteemed alumni of the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines,—wherein he earned his Juris Doctor degree for the latter—as well as the prestigious Georgetown University in the United States. The young leader sees these accomplishments as a testament to his commitment to excellence and integrity; two values that would bear great significance later on. Apart from being the CEO and President of a top-performing company, the Attorney also spends time giving back to the academe that nurtured his growth, working as a professorial lecturer in two top Philippine law schools.
“I think training and preparation is one thing, but commitment to the task is another.”
Attorney Martin Loon reflects on how his tenured background has supported his current responsibilities
Such a decorated curriculum vitae only scratches the surface of what Attorney Loon has truly accomplished. In being at the helm of one of the biggest insurance companies in the country at a young age, there is clearly more to it than just titles and degrees with Attorney Loon’s leadership, as he strived to make that clear from the very start of his tenure.
Bringing insurance to the digital age
Despite a busy day of affairs, Attorney Loon spared no energy and thought as we had a fun and fruitful chat with him. Eloquent and concise, the millennial leader spoke about his three-year tenure with the company, sparing no details on the changes he strived to make with his team; the first of which was upgrading the company’s technological systems by utilizing the best tools available on the market, allowing the organization to function like a well-oiled machine.
“The way we serve every COCOLIFE client has improved greatly from the time I stepped in, to how it is today. The time in which we process our claims was cut-down from several days or weeks to sometimes just a matter of hours.”
Attorney Martin Loon on modernizing COCOLIFE
It seems that this decision to modernize came at the right time, as apart from trying to keep up with the ever-evolving pace of technology and information, Attorney Loon and company also had to deal with the onset of a harrowing pandemic that would heavily affect the entire country. In a decisive fashion, the Attorney did not waste time in ensuring that COCOLIFE would continue to support their most vulnerable clients and stakeholders, sharing: “We’re very committed to adjusting with this new normal and coming up with a better normal not just for the organization, but [also] for the public and the people we serve.”
Such fervent dedication to his duties despite the grueling challenges would not go unnoticed, as the young leader and his organization would gain widespread international recognition from various respected award-giving bodies. In this year alone, Attorney Loon has been named ‘Young CEO of the Year’ by Global Business Review and was also included as a Circle of Excellence Awardee for Young Leader of the Year in the Asia CEO Awards. Recently, COCOLIFE also won ‘Most Outstanding Life Insurance Company’ and ‘Most Outstanding Healthcare Provider’ in the International Business Magazine Awards, as well as ‘Best Life Insurance Company’ and ‘Best Insurance Customer Service Provider’ by Global Business Review Magazine.
Beyond these successes, the Attorney was quick to highlight that the single proudest achievement of his tenure so far has been bringing back the values that once defined the company in reliability, excellence, teamwork, integrity, and empathy. In revitalizing the company culture of a uniquely-Filipino company, the young CEO and President wanted to ensure that the identity of Cocolife would be made known throughout the entire country, explaining: “Sometimes these things would [be] forgotten as time would pass. When I came in, I made sure those values are no longer values [that would just be] pasted on the walls of the company. These are values lived out by every member of the organization. These are values that we cherish and value individually and collectively.”
Building the future of the Filipino
In marvelling at Attorney Loon’s achievements, you can quickly outline the simple rationale that anchors everything that the young leader does, and that is COCOLIFE’s iconic slogan of: believing in the Filipino. More than just four words, the Attorney shared that the mantra has been the guiding light in every decision he makes for his organization, explaining:
“Sometimes, things can get difficult. Sometimes things will not turn out the way you want them to turn out, but I feel that when you are given that particular responsibility and you’re faithful and focused on the mission, then all of these difficulties will just slide away.”
Attorney Martin Loon on believing in the Filipino
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Learn more about Atty. Martin Loon by visiting his dedicated page at the COCOLIFE website. Follow Atty. Martin Loon at his official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for the latest updates.
