Category: Press Room

Whether it’s transforming Cebuana Lhuillier into a microfinancing empire or making waves in various industries, learn successful strategies from the man behind it all: Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Lhuillier is a name that has long been established in the Philippine business landscape, as the family has become foremost known for Cebuana Lhuillier—the biggest microfinancing institution in the Philippines with over 3,000 branches, nationwide. Known foremost for its financial services that span pawning, remittance, microinsurance, micro-savings, and business-business microloan solutions, the company has been supporting Filipinos financially since its establishment in 1988.

Beyond its impact in microfinancing, however, the PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies (PJLGC) owns businesses in diverse industries, including hospitality (Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel and Bacau Bay Resort Coron), jewelry (Just Jewels), tech (Networld Capital Ventures, Inc.), banking (Cebuana Lhuillier Bank), and insurance (Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Brokers, Inc.), and more—thus solidifying its presence in the Philippines.

Leading the charge is Jean Henri Lhuillier—a man with just as many accolades and businesses tied to his name. Known among business circles as the President and CEO of the PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, he is a man who dons many hats, as he too is the Honorary Consul General of the Republic of San Marino to the Philippines, the President of Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) and Amateur Softball Association of the  Philippines (ASAPHIL), and an angel investor in many businesses.

In this exclusive interview with The Business Manual, he reveals the story behind PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, the success secrets in growing the family business into the empire that it is today, and what he has learned in his journey as an entrepreneur.

Learning the Ropes

With its foundation deeply rooted in its humble beginnings as a pawnshop called Agencia Cebuana, pawnbroking was the bread and butter of the Lhuillier family.

This meant that at an early age, Jean Henri was exposed to its operations. “When I was a lot younger, my dad used to always take me around to the pawnshops,” he begins. “He actually moved to Manila from Cebu in 1970 [and] he came here as an entrepreneur to build a business as well.”

Reference: https://thebusinessmanual-onemega.com/strategically-growing-family-business-jean-henri-lhuillier-pj-lhuillier-group-of-companies/

Jean Henri Lhuillier, a long-time Philippine Sports Patron vowed to continue supporting tennis and softball in the country.  Lhuillier, current president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) as well as the Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) is elated with the progress of the programs of both sports association and is excited with their plans for the year.

“I am very upbeat for this year especially for our softball national teams as well as our top tennis players. There are lots of international tournaments lined up for them and I’m confident they will perform well and continue putting the Philippines in the softball and tennis maps”, said Lhuillier, ASAPHIL and UTP President.

Lhuillier has been the main supporter of the both the RP Blu Boys and Blu Girls, multi-gold medalists in Southeast Asian Games and consistent podium finishers in Asian Level. Lhuillier is also the man behind top tennis players former world number 17 Treat Huey; doubles specialist and currently ranked 136 Ruben Gonzales; and, former Australian Juniors doubles champion Francis Casey Alcantara,   personally funding their international competitions for several years now.

The RP Blu Girls are currently deep in training for the upcoming Women’s Softball Asia Cup to be held in South Korea from April 2-8.  They are also expected to contend for a medal together with the Blu Boys in the Asian Games on September .  Cebuana Lhuillier Sports Ambassadors Huey, Gonzales and Alcantara are all currently representing the country’s colors in the ATP and ITF doubles competitions. All them won several titles in ITF doubles tournaments in 2022 and all are just outside the elite world’s top 100 doubles  players.

Lhuillier is not only focusing on the elite athletes.  Thru ASAPHIL and UTP, Lhuillier spearheads grassroots development thru hundreds of age-group tennis competitions, open tournaments and even club tournaments thru the help of sponsors Cebuana Lhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop, UNILAB, Mr. Freeze, PhilCare,  Navegar, DFNN, Madison Galeries, Asia Traders Corp and Chris Sports,  to discover fresh tennis talents.  ASAPHIL, on the other hand,  is excited to bring back national competitions to continuously hone local talents in preparation for international competitions in the years to come.

Lhuillier explained: “I have high hopes for both Philippine softball and tennis as these are the two sports where I firmly believe Filipinos have what it takes to be the world’s best, and I vow to continue giving them my all out support to make this a reality”.

Reference: https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/15/jean-henri-lhuillier-reaffirms-commitment-to-philippine-softball/

Jean Henri Lhuillier, the visionary who changed the landscape of microfinance in the country, has been also helping transform the country’s sports program in a big way. A stalwart supporter of Philippine sports for over 30 years, his extensive contributions span multiple disciplines including basketball in the past. But most notably, Lhuillier was celebrated for his commitment to grassroots sports development and for bolstering the country’s national teams of both softball and tennis.

TENNIS PATRON FOR 3 DECADES

Lhuillier’s first foray in supporting tennis development in the Philippines started way back in 1998 with the staging of a series of Cebuana Lhuillier Men’s Tennis Open tournaments and ever since that, there was no stopping him from pushing Philippine tennis to greater heights.

He has since helped the development of tennis in the Philippines through various ways such as grassroots program through the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group tennis which has consistently held more than 50 tournaments nationwide for more than a decade already. From these tournaments were the likes of future national team members like Francis Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon were discovered.

He has also been a staunch supporter of the national team having been a team manager numerous times of both the Davis Cup and Southeast Asian Games national teams. Aside from national teams, he and his company Cebuana Lhuillier has been supporting the individual international campaigns of top tennis players such as Cecil Mamiit, Eric Tainio, Katharina Lehnert and Treat Huey in the past to current stars Ruben Gonzales and Francis Casey Alcantara helping all of them reach their highest world rankings in both singles and doubles.

He was also responsible in making the sport popular in the country bringing top international players in the country through the ATP Men’s Challenger as the ITF Men’s Futures tournaments. He also was the team manager and co-owner of the Manila and Philippine Mavericks in the International Premier League with tennis superstars Serena Williams and Andy Murray among his players
As president of the Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) for 7 years, Lhuillier has been responsible also for supporting top junior players to play in Asian junior tournaments as well as the WTA Future Stars. Thru the UTP, Lhuillier continues to support nationwide tournaments in both juniors and open sections.

MAN BEHIND PHILIPPINE SOFTBALL’S RESURGENCE
As president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) for 17 years already, Lhuillier has been responsible for the resurgence of the sport of softball.
Just like in tennis, Lhuillier has been supporting both the grassroots programs as well the national teams though ASAPHIL.

ASAPHIL, under the leadership of Lhuillier has been conducting tournaments such as the annual Summer Grand Slam National Open, Batang Pinoy, Palarong Pambansa, Philippine National Games among others. They have also been active conducting softball clinics for all stakeholders: players, coaches and even tournament officials.

With Lhuillier at the helm, the RP Blu Girls and Blu Boys have been performing extremely well in internal competitions. RP Blu Girls have won 7 straight SEAGames gold medals, silver medal in the 2017 Asian Women’s Softball Championships and have been in the top 4 five times. They boast of beating several top 10 world-ranked teams in previous World Cup competitions and was previously ranked number 1 in Asia prior to the pandemic. They are currently ranked number 4 in Asia and number 12 in the world.

Not to be left behind, the RP Blu Boys have been excelling as well with 4 gold medals in SEA Games, 5 silver medals in Asian Men’s Softball championships and was top 10 in the 2022 World Cup. They are currently ranked number 3 in Asia and number 10 in the World.

But there has been no stopping for Lhuillier and his wards. This year 2023 has been a huge year for Philippine Softball in the international arena. No less than 4 national teams qualified for the World Cup.

RP Blu Boys secure a bronze medal in the 12th Men’s Softball Asia Cup last June to qualify for the Men’s Softball World Cup. The RP Blu Girls snagged fourth place in the 18th Women’s Softball Asia Cup 2023 held last July to book a World Cup berth. The Under-15 girls’ team secured a bronze medal and has additionally clinched a spot in the 2023 WBSC World Cup for U15 Women’s Softball. Meanwhile, another team groomed by ASAPHIL, the Co-ed squad, is intensively preparing for this year’s WBSC Co-Ed Slow Pitch Softball World Cup, following their impressive silver medal performance in the Co-Ed Slow Pitch Softball Asia Cup last May.

ON TO THE ASIAN GAMES

As his softball and tennis athletes prepare to see action in the upcoming Asian Games with the RP Blu Girls and Ruben Gonzales and Francis Casey Alcanatar vying for medals, Jean Henri Lhuillier declares he will not pause until the Philippines’ softball and tennis teams under his watch succeed in seizing the glory and recognition they so deserve. Far from resting on his laurels, Lhuillier is energized for the challenges ahead:
“I’m just getting started. I am incredibly optimistic about the future of Philippine softball and tennis. I firmly believe we have the potential to be world leaders in these sports, and I am committed to making this vision a reality.”

Reference: https://sports.inquirer.net/530629/jean-henri-lhuillier-3-decades-after-his-passion-for-helping-philippine-and-softball-continues#ixzz8LYHjcvvg

Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier is on a mission to positively touch and change the lives of millions of Filipinos for the better through his numerous pursuits.

Lhuillier has successfully transformed Cebuana Lhuillier to be the Philippines’ leading microfinance provider, starting as a pawnshop to becoming the largest and leading microfinance institution in the country with close to 3500 branches. Its core products and services such as pawning, money transfer and insurance have aided millions of Filipinos achieve financial wellness and empower them to provide for their loved ones.

“We constantly innovate and improve our products to tailor fit the needs of our Ka-Cebuanas. I’ve always believed that if we give people good financial options, they are capable of making smart decisions financially,” he said.

Lhuiller makes sure that clients are given the best possible products and services through groundbreaking innovations. On top of offering pawning, money transfer and insurance products, Cebuana Lhuillier has now made savings and investment accessible to the unbanked and underbanked providing micro-savings, jewelry selling and micro-investment.

Through its micro-savings product, the company has addressed the pain points in opening a savings account by offering a low start-up amount with less documents and no maintaining balance. Micro-savings is made accessible for the masses through all Cebuana Lhuillier branches nationwide.

The Iponaryo Movement, another innovative idea of Lhuillier, has already registered 7 million account holders.

Cebuana Lhuillier has also enabled Filipinos to gain access to affordable investment through jewelry selling and micro-investment. The company encourages the public to invest in gold through FB Live, its pawnshop branches, the website and other marketplaces.

Realizing the need to make it easier for people to start a business, Lhuillier spearheaded the creation of the Ka Negosyo Center, a one-stop business shop on June 2023. The program provides business mentorship through videos, provides assistance on sales and marketing, lends financial and legal advises, as well as offers financial assistance through loans, micro-savings and insurance.

As the head of the Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc. (CLFI), Lhuillier has helped make education more accessible by donating classrooms, learning centers, conference rooms, and buildings. Part of CLFI’s major thrust is the implementation of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) along with 3 other initiatives – Nationwide Scholarship Program, Spiritual and Social Enhancement Program, and Special Projects on Education.

An avid support of sports development, Lhullier helped create the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group tennis which has held more than 50 tournaments nationwide in over 10 years. He also managed the Davis Cup and Southeast Asian Games national teams while supporting individual international campaigns of top tennis players Ruben Gonzales and Francis Casey Alcantara.

Lhuliier is the president of the Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) for 7 years running, alongside his leadership of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) for 17 years now.

Reference: https://manilastandard.net/business/biz-plus/314388981/cebuana-lhuillier-ceo-spurs-innovations-in-microfinance.html#google_vignette

The Lhuillier name has become familiar with Filipinos mainly because of the popularity and nationwide presence of Cebuana Lhuillier pawnshops. As its long-time CEO and President, Jean Henri Lhuillier is generally known to the Filipino public as the man behind the Cebuana Lhuillier brand.

Jean Henri Lhuillier, or JHL, however, wears many hats: a very successful businessman and highly respected tycoon; an advocate of entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium enterprises; a public service leader who leads socio-civic initiatives for marginalized groups through the PJL Foundation; and an ardent supporter of Philippine sports development through softball and tennis. 

But there is another role JHL portrays that is very distinguished, but many Filipinos may not be aware of: the first Honorary Consul General of the Republic of San Marino to the Philippines.

Located on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains and surrounded by north-central Italy, San Marino is recognized as the world’s oldest surviving republic and the fifth-smallest country in the world covering a land area of just over 61 sq km.

The Republic of San Marino decided to establish a General Consulate in the Philippines in 2007 to monitor and report on political, economic, and social developments in the Philippines (with a particular focus on the fast-growing tourism sector), to promote trade and cultural exchanges between San Marino and the Philippines, to raise awareness of San Marino, and to assist Sammarinese here in the country. To head this General Consulate, The Republic of San Marino instated JHL as the first Honorary Consul General of the Republic of San Marino to the Philippines.

After being bestowed the position, JHL proudly said: “It is a priceless honor. I am thankful to the great state of San Marino for granting me this privilege, and for entrusting its welfare under my stewardship here in a country so far away. I take special pride to be its representative and be able to share the rich culture and traditions that it has with the Filipino community”. 

As Honorary Consul General, JHL created a ten-point agenda that the General Consulate has undertaken in the fulfillment of its functions and accomplishment of its goals. 

• Trade and Economic Cooperation – taking part in the European Chamber of Commerce and spearheaded a Memorandum of Understanding on intercountry adoption.

• Cultural Exchange Program 

• Diplomatic Consulates – assisting Samarinese here in the Philippines and maintaining international relations through the Consular Corps.

•   Educational Partnerships – ​encouraging educational exchanges, like internships.

•  Technology and Innovation – partnering with San Marino Innovations.

• Environmental Collaboration – organizing events such as Fun run for the Mangroves and Night Bazaars.

• Healthcare Cooperation – spearheading a program that assures the mental health of soon-to-be adopted kids.

• Sports and Youth engagements –conducting lectures among FEU students entitled “Beyond Diplomacy: Cultural ties between the Philippines and The Republic of San Marino”; publishing a children’s book about finding families and the importance of love and care which won the Filipino’s Choice Award at this year’s Philippine Book Festival; and, holding sports clinics 

•  Crisis Response and Humanitarian Aid – taking active part in different disaster assistance programs.

•  Engaging with other Diplomats – joining affairs and celebrations hosted by Diplomats of other nations to support the goal of their countries to make a mark in the Philippines.

The Honorary Consul General of San Marino’s ten-point agenda has proven to be very successful throughout the years in protecting, promoting, and facilitating not only the interests of the Republic of San Marino but those of the Philippines as well.

In honor of Jean Henri Lhuillier’s work and dedication to service, the Republic of San Marino conferred him with the rank of Official Knight of the Equestrian Order of Saint Agatha. The Order, given to foreign nationals who have positively contributed charitable and other services for the benefit of San Marino with at least 10 years of service, was conferred on Jean Henri, despite serving for only seven years, because of his exemplary work and contribution to the state as its Consul General in the Philippines.