The IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has named Celeste B. Ilagan as its president and CEO-designate, making her the first woman to lead the country’s flagship IT-BPM industry group as artificial intelligence reshapes outsourcing and pushes the sector toward higher-value work.
Ilagan will succeed Jack Madrid as president and CEO effective Oct. 11, 2026, IBPAP said Wednesday.
A nearly three-decade veteran of the Philippine IT-BPM industry, Ilagan began her career at the Board of Investments, where she helped attract some of the country’s pioneering IT-BPM and shared-services investments.
She served two terms on the IBPAP Board of Trustees from 2019 to 2022 before joining the association’s management team in 2022. She first served as chief policy and regulatory affairs officer and later became chief operating officer.
Ilagan has led IBPAP’s policy and legislative agenda, investor engagement, and workforce development initiatives, including partnerships with TESDA, CHED, and DepEd to promote enterprise-based education and training.
Her policy work included advocacy for the CREATE MORE Act, efforts to address tax issues under Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 05-2024, ease-of-doing-business initiatives, cybersecurity partnerships, and engagement with PhilHealth on healthcare costs affecting IT-BPM employees.
“Celeste’s experience and deep understanding of our industry will provide both continuity and strong leadership as we navigate the opportunities and disruptions brought by AI and the shift toward higher-value work,” IBPAP Board Chairperson Ayhee Campos said.
The leadership change comes as the industry seeks to move Filipino workers higher up the global value chain while automation and AI transform traditional outsourcing functions.
Madrid will remain president and CEO through Oct. 10 and work with Campos and Ilagan to ensure a smooth transition. IBPAP credited him with strengthening the association’s advocacy and engagement with government and international stakeholders.
