One may recognize her as the host of Maalaala Mo Kaya, one of the longest running TV drama in Asia—the wise lady who calmly reads excerpts of other people’s lives. She is Charo Santos-Concio, one of the most influential personalities in the industry. A media executive and an actress, she has won three international honors for her outstanding leadership and accomplishments as the president and CEO of ABS-CBN, a Gold Stevie Award in the Female Executive of the Year in Asia, Australia, and was named Asian Media Woman of the Year by ContentAsia. Charo produced films such as Oro, Plata, Mata and Himala. She also established herself, back in the early days of her career, as an award-winning dramatic actress. She climbed her way up the ladder as she reached the Chief Content Officer position of ABS-CBN Corporation. When asked about her achievements, she simply credits her zeal and her ability to take risks.

Before she got to where she is, a young Charo once thought nothing more of herself than “just a pretty face” in an industry with a ton of replaceable pretty faces. Many start off this way, but few come out a changed person such as Charo. Proving that entrepreneurship runs through her veins, she began to aim bigger, take on risks. Perhaps the biggest risk on her career was her drive to bring the post-scandalized Dolphy back in the industry. When his sitcom became a hit, that was the day people knew that Charo was a force to be reckoned with. She not only brought Dolphy’s career back from way under, but she also launched a program that maintained top ratings for years.