Aboitiz Land’s Rafael Fernandez de Mesa named 2025 Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year

Aboitiz Land and Aboitiz InfraCapital leader honoured for transformative, sustainable growth in Philippine real estate

Rafael Fernandez de Mesa, President and CEO of Aboitiz Land, Inc. and Head of Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates, is named the 2025 Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year for his transformative leadership and commitment to sustainable, inclusive development. 

With over 15 years in the Aboitiz Group, Rafael has united its real estate businesses into a platform that delivers world-class communities and investment destinations nationwide. His vision has expanded Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates into a multi-award-winning leader, recognised as the Best Industrial Developer in the Philippines and in Asia for four consecutive years. 

Rafael’s strategic initiatives have unlocked significant economic potential, including the growth of LIMA Estate in Batangas, the country’s largest privately owned industrial estate, and the TARI Estate in Tarlac. Together with other estates in Luzon and Cebu, these projects span over 2,000 hectares, create more than 100,000 jobs, and have drawn upwards of PHP167 billion (USD2.94 billion) in investments. 

A strong advocate of sustainability, Rafael championed a pioneering partnership with the Philippine Green Building Council to develop the BERDE-District Certification, the first green building standard for large-scale developments in the country. Under his guidance, all operational estates are now certified as 5-Star BERDE Districts, setting a benchmark for environmentally responsible growth. 

Chosen solely by the editorial team of Property Report by PropertyGuru, this distinction recognises his lasting impact on Philippine real estate, his dedication to building future-ready economic hubs, and his vision for fostering progress that benefits both communities and the environment. 

The distinguished award will be granted on 15 August 2025, at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila from 18:00 (GMT+8). Tune in to watch the celebration via the Official Awards channels: asiapropertyawards.com/tv-podcast, Facebook, and YouTube. 

Gynen Kyra Toriano, Digital Content Manager at PropertyGuru, wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].