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Jaime Zóbel de Ayala y PfitzGCLH (born 18 July 1934), also known asJaime Zóbel, is aFilipino businessman who served as the chairman of theAyala Corporation from 1984 to 2006 and as its president from 1984 to 1994. Presently, he holds thehonorary title as "Chairman Emeritus".

Zóbel served as theAmbassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1975. He is also known as a notedart photographer being the first Filipino photographer to be given aLicentiate by theRoyal Photographic Society of the United Kingdom.

Zóbel was born on 18 July 1934 to Alfonso Zóbel de Ayala (1904–1967) and Carmen Pfitz y Herrero (1909–1999). His siblings are Maria Victoria ("Vicky") and Alfonso Jr. ("Alfonsito"). He is a grandson ofEnrique Zóbel de Ayala and Consuelo de Ayala.

He is the widower of Beatriz Miranda. Together they have two sons (Jaime Augusto andFernando) and five daughters (Beatriz Susana ["Bea Jr."], Patricia, Cristina, Monica, and Sofía).

After early education in the Philippines, Zóbel attendedHarvard University, where he graduated in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in architectural sciences. He attended the six-week Advanced Management Program in the Far East, conducted by faculty from theHarvard Graduate School of Business Administration inBaguio, the Philippines in 1963.

Zóbel joined Ayala y Compañía in 1958 asexecutive assistant upon the invitation of his father. His father placed him under the wing of his cousinEnrique and uncle Col. Joseph McMicking. As an executive assistant in the company, he took down notes during management meetings and gradually learned the ropes of thefamily business. He was later transferred to the training section of the insurance companies of the Ayala group. In 1975, he becamepresident ofFilipinas Life Assurance Company (now,BPIAIA^[1] Life Assurance Corporation).

In 1984, he succeeded Enrique, as chairman and president ofAyala Corporation (AC).^[2] Zóbel successfully steered Ayala through the tense, final years of theMarcos dictatorship. In 1988, the real estate division was spun off asAyala Land, Inc. AC also ventured into new businesses, like automotive (Ayala Automotive Holdings Corporation).^[3]

Zóbel stepped down as president of AC in 1994 and was succeeded by his son, Jaime Augusto. He continued as chairman until his retirement in 2006 and then became itschairman emeritus.

Zóbel joined the Camera Club of the Philippines in the mid-1970s and began taking photography more seriously.^[4] He is the first Filipino amateur photographer to be confirmed “Licentiate” by theRoyal Photographic Society of the United Kingdom, and has received similar commendations from the French and Spanish governments for his contributions to art and culture. He exhibits regularly in the Philippines and abroad, and has produced several critically acclaimed books. He continues to break new ground in art photography with explorations in various art media.

Between 1970 and 1975, Zóbel was appointed as thePhilippine Ambassador to theCourt of St. James's inLondon, representing theUnited Kingdom and ambassador of Scandinavian countries.

• 1968, Comendador al Mérito Civil,Spain
• 1980, Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres,France
• 1985, Doctor of Business Management (honoris causa)De La Salle University, Manila
• 1986, Senator Award, highest honor bestowed by theJCI Philippines
• 1987, “Management Man of the Year”, Management Association of the Philippines
• 1991, Doctor of Laws (honoris causa),University of the Philippines Diliman
• 2004, FIRST Responsible Capitalism Award Winner^[5]
• 2008, Hero ofPhilanthropy,Forbes magazine, special issueAsia magazine initiated this recognition, including four Filipinos: Jaime Zobel de Ayala,John Gokongwei, Ramon del Rosario Jr., and Oscar Lopez. The list recognizes four philanthropists from each of 13 selected countries and territories in Asia^[6]
• 2009,Philippine Legion of Honor, Rank of Grand Commander, Armed Forces of the Philippines^[7]
• 2018,Order of the Rising Sun, Second Class, Gold and Silver Star, Japan^[8]

• In 2007, Zóbel was ranked as tied withHenry Sy as the richest person in the Philippines, with a net worth of $2.6 billion, according toForbes magazine.
• In 2008, Zóbel and his family were ranked 3rd inForbes magazine's 2008 list of 40 wealthiest Filipinos, due to a 46% drop in their conglomerate Ayala Corp. shares, which were worth $800 million.^[9][10][11]

• Zóbel de Ayala family

• Jaime Zobel de Ayala & family, The World's Richest People, Forbes.com
• Ayala at 175 Magazine
• Ayala 2009 Annual Report

• Jaime Zobel (official website)

• 1934 births
• Filipino people of German descent
• Filipino people of Basque descent
• Filipino people of Spanish descent
• Harvard Business School alumni
• 20th-century Filipino businesspeople
• Zobel de Ayala family
• Filipino billionaires
• Filipino photographers
• Filipino businesspeople in real estate
• Filipino bankers
• Businesspeople in retailing
• Businesspeople in telecommunications
• Living people
• Businesspeople from Manila
• Ambassadors of the Philippines to the United Kingdom
• Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
• 21st-century Filipino businesspeople

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