Thames International Alumnus Alezander Phillippe Zupancic Featured in Book on Philippine HR Excellence
by: Carlo Rivera, Communication Arts Program Chair
Thames International’s very own Alezander Phillippe Zupancic has been featured in The 50: HR Leaders Reimagining the Filipino Organization.
This book gathers insights from fifty of the top CHROs on navigating the new normal, across every aspect of the field. Zupancic’s company, First Circle, is notably the only digital finance company featured – it was in fact selected unanimously by the editorial team. Managing editor Kyle Nate spoke of how “First Circle is tireless in their efforts to create a workplace and culture that allows everyone to develop, engage, and progress.” The interview reveals that First Circle, under Zupancic’s leadership, is especially notable for recognizing the long-term value of truly having the best interests of its people at heart.
The other organizations selected for The 50 hail from almost every major business vertical – a full list is included below.
Thames International takes pride in having produced an alumnus who is driving positive social impact in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world. It continues, in spite of the pandemic, to blaze a trail towards a new order which upholds human values and innovative thinking. For Zupancic, First Circle’s “Head of People,” the journey from his Business Administration major in Marketing Management at Thames, to pursuing his foreign degree through Thames’ partner university in the UK, Northumbria University, to working in the field of Human Resources for one of Asia’s top FinTech startups was filled with memories – too many to count. Every semester, he fondly recalls, was filled with something new. Alezander credits Thames with creating a “play hard and work harder” environment that bred meaningful relationships with the community.
Alezander relates that Thames’ out-of-the-box culture celebrated the non-traditional, both in its people and in its problem-solving approach. When asked to share a major learning, he had this to say:
Don’t rush! Life isn’t a race and there is no reward waiting for you at what you think is your destination. Everyone gets to the “finish line” at their own pace and once you get there, all you will find is that you just have more track to run (there will always be more to do). – so don’t rush to get to the next big thing for you. Be present where you are and bring your best self to it. Worrying about things that have not happened and things out of your control is extremely stressful. And stress leads to wrinkles. Wear sun screen.
Thames International is committed to building a new order for the world by giving talented students and entrepreneurs the tools to thrive and lead the way in a world beset by rapid change. If you’re interested in augmenting your skills and making connections with some of the brightest minds in business education today, please take a look at our future-proof undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Business leaders and HR professionals interested in buying the book can do so at https://bookshelf.com.ph/pages/the-50
ABOUT THE 50
The 50: HR Leaders Reimagining the Filipino Organization is a book about the practice of HR in the Philippine setting. The book features insights from the HR leaders of the following companies: Aboitiz, Arvin International Marketing, Asian Hospital, Astoria Hotels and Resorts, Avaloq Philippines, Ayala Corporation, Century Pacific Food, CHG Global, Chinese General Hospital, CIIT, CIMB, City of Dreams, De La Salle Zobel, Dentsu Aegis, Emerson, EON Group, Euro Chemicals, FEU Tech, FamilyMart, First Circle, Foodpanda, Freelancer.com, Generali Philippines, Human Nature, IBM, Ikea, Inquirer, Johnson & Johnson, Katinko, Lalamove, LBC Express, LG, MEC Networks Corporation, Miriam College, Nexperia, Novare Technologies, Penbrothers, Pioneer Adhesive, Phoenix Petroleum, Prince Hypermart, QuadX, Shopee, SM Supermalls, Sun Life, Transcom, Ubisoft, Unionbank, Willis Towers Watson, ZEN Rooms, and Zuellig Pharma.
ABOUT BOOKSHELF PH
Bookshelf PH aims to promote great Filipino books in fiction and non-fiction. The goal is to produce a rich literature that will contribute to individual empowerment, and in the aggregate, nation-building. At the core of these aspirations is the belief that the surest and simplest path to personal and professional growth is through reading.
