DFPC COO named new PRA president

MANILA, Philippines - Duty Free Philippines Corp.’s (DFPC) Chief Operating Officer, Lorenzo “Enchong” C. Formoso, was recently elected President of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA). He succeeds Frederick D. Go of Robinson’s Land Corp., who is now new PRA chairman.

Enchong, as he is fondly called, is a De La Salle University Industrial Management Engineering graduate. He is among the pioneers of DFPC, an attached agency of Department of Tourism’s (DOT), when it started in 1987. He is also one of the veterans of the Asian Travel Retail industry, and a pioneer member of the PRA.

Formoso assumes the PRA presidency at PRA at a time when retailers and other stakeholders are in the thick of preparations for the upcoming 22nd National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo (NCRE) slated August 7 and 8 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

This year’s NRCE zeroes in on how the retail industry and retailers can effectively connect with consumers using new technologies and media channels. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima will speak on how the retail industry plays a pivotal role in national development and in the country’s recent investment grade ratings achievements.

Leading the list of top caliber resource speakers for NCRE 2013 are Busaba Chirathivat of the Central Retail of Thailand, one of Thailand’s biggest retailers; Ian Wade, former chairman of the A.S. Watson Group, the world’s largest health, beauty & lifestyle retailer; and Bienvenido “Donnie” Tantoco III, president of Rustan’s Supercenters (Shopwise) of the Philippines.

Formoso will serve as PRA president until 2015, when Manila would again host the Asia-Pacific Retailers Convention and Exhibition (APRCE). The last time the APRCE was held in Manila was in 1993. APRCE 2015 is expected to draw over 4,000 local and foreign attendees from the Asia-Pacific region. Sponsorship and exhibit opportunities are already open.