Putting Customers at the Heart of Innovation: Shaping Globe Telecom’s Next Era According to President and CEO Carl Cruz

How old-fashioned consumer focus—partnered with innovation—drives Globe in the digital transformation of the nation.

Globe Telecommunications is having a bit of a moment right now. The 90-year-old company is in an enviable position, with its business leading on not one, but two fronts. First, its core connectivity business is a powerhouse of the telco industry. And second, the company dominates with its fintech arm, GCash, hailed for its industry-wide and national significance. With such leadership in telecommunications and tech, where does Globe go from here? And what can entrepreneurs learn from their success? Speaking to The Business Manual in an exclusive interview, Globe’s newly-minted President and CEO, Carl Raymond Cruz, shares the company’s playbook for its future of innovation and leadership.

Four months into the job at the helm of Globe, Carl Cruz brings with him more than two decades of leadership experience across Asia and Africa. From his years in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) industry to leading one of the Philippines’ most influential tech and telco companies today, Cruz has learned that the key to long-term success lies in a delicate balance—between cutting edge innovation and core strengths, speed and stability, ambition and humility.

Now, as Globe strengthens its role in building the nation and supporting Filipinos in their journey of digital transformation, Cruz shares five lessons that entrepreneurs can take straight into their own businesses.

1. Keep Your Customers as the “True North Star”

For Carl Cruz, his playbook as President and CEO of Globe is simple. He outlines his strategy in five items, though it is eminently clear that the one that truly matters is the first.

He says, “For Globe, we have one critical true North Star, and that's our customers. So the first order of the day for us is to actually continue elevating customer experience.”

Cruz continues to detail his strategies for Globe, saying, “Second would be to maintain our leadership in mobile, which we've held since 2016. Third would be to diversify our revenue streams. Fourth would be to continue leading the industry and the country in terms of innovation. And fifth, of course, is to always create a Globe of Good. We treat people right, especially our employees who then take care of our customers.”

For Carl Cruz, building products and services that deliver genuine value is about putting the customer at the center of every decision. Entrepreneurs who focus on deep customer understanding are better positioned to enjoy the sustained growth that Globe has experienced through the years.

Opportunities for Globe’s Core Business

There’s no denying that Globe has benefited from the Philippines’ rapidly growing digital economy. Cruz cites how the local digital economy has been the region’s fastest growing in the last five years, and how this growth has provided opportunities for tech companies like Globe. 

“This [growth] is expected to continue,” he says. “So that bodes well, not only for Globe, but really for everyone in the industry.” 

At the same time, Cruz says that Globe intends to continue its focus on the youth segment of the country. He returns to Globe’s North Star, saying, “I think the most important bit is for us to continue making sure that we live up to our purpose, which is to uplift the lives of the Filipinos.

“Globe, not only as a telco, but as a tech company, will play a leading role in each and every phase of the journey of the Philippines to be a full-fledged digital economy.”

This means continuing to focus on the growth of Globe’s core connectivity business, improving network service, and rolling out the latest 5G technology. 

Cruz explains, “You know, [telecommunications] truly is the backbone of any economy. Telecommunications enables employment, enables education. It enables inclusion. I saw that for myself in Africa, and it's the same thing here in the Philippines.”

2. Strengthen Your Core While Focusing on Innovation

While connectivity—from mobile networks to fiber—has been a source of growth for Globe, it has often behaved more like a tech company than a telco.

“One of the key success factors of Globe is innovation,” Cruz says. “Our ability to disrupt even ourselves is so important.”

It is this commitment to innovation that enables Globe’s business to stand on two strong legs: connectivity and its fintech arm, GCash. 

GCash, Globe’s finance app, has become so ubiquitous in the Philippines that it needs no introduction. Even then, its numbers are surprising. Globe estimates that 94 million Filipinos have used GCash. Put another way, eight out of ten Filipinos have used the app. Through it, they can access over six million merchants and social sellers. And the service has expanded well beyond its original function as an e-wallet. In fact, nine million of its users have savings through GSave.

It was during the pandemic when GCash began its rise, but few Filipinos remember that Globe launched GCash way back in 2004. This kind of forward-thinking—and patience—sets Globe apart from other tech innovators.

Cruz credits Globe’s commitment to innovation, saying, “Not many organizations will stick with a product or an offering or an innovation such as GCash e-wallet for such a long time without it really taking off in terms of size, value, and revenue. But Globe stayed with it. And lo and behold, when the time came for people to use that kind of service, we saw massive growth. So innovation needs to be nurtured.”

For today’s entrepreneurs, this serves as a reminder that innovation is, at times, a long game. Yes, tech and consumer preferences change rapidly. But if you have a product that can change the world, perseverance can pay off.