Jollibee Group President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong celebrated the end of his presentation at the ASEAN Youth Entrepreneurship Summit 2026 with a large group photo alongside participants. The lively interaction took place at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, capping off an inspiring session on Filipino global success.
Jollibee Group President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong was invited as a guest speaker at the inaugural ASEAN Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (AYES) 2026.
The high-profile invitation highlights the Jollibee Group’s remarkable trajectory, tracing its roots from a humble, Filipino-founded enterprise into an expansive, multi-brand restaurant corporation with a powerful global footprint.
By openly sharing its corporate growth story, the Jollibee Group aims to cultivate the next wave of business visionaries across Southeast Asia. The company leverages its real-world experiences to provide actionable inspiration for young entrepreneurs throughout the ASEAN region.
More than 10,000 participants gathered for the event, which establishes a vital cross-border network for young business founders to explore creative innovation and leadership strategies.
At the recently concluded AYES 2026 in Pasay City, Jollibee Group chief executive Ernesto Tanmantiong presented a masterclass on global scaling to next-generation Southeast Asian leaders. Speaking at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, he highlighted the strategic milestones that enabled a single, Filipino-founded enterprise to successfully transform its operations into a multi-brand, multinational restaurant network.
“When people ask about our success, I feel grateful—and careful. Grateful for the milestones. Careful because success never belongs to one person. It is built by people who dare to dream, teams who work hard, partners who believe, customers who return, and communities that help a business grow,” Tanmantiong said.
On the international stage, Jollibee has secured dominant market positions across diverse territories. The brand stands as the premier quick-service restaurant chain in Vietnam, where it operates over 250 locations catering to a fully localized Vietnamese consumer base, alongside holding the top spot in Brunei. Furthermore, its expansion into the United States has earned significant critical acclaim, with the brand securing the No. 1 Best Fast-Food Fried Chicken title in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the third year in a row.
“As Jollibee expanded abroad, we learned that food can carry memory and also create connections across cultures. Delicious taste has no borders,” he said.
Through the transparent sharing of its global corporate journey, the Jollibee Group aims to inspire the next generation to boldly chase their business goals. The brand seeks to serve as living proof that homegrown, Filipino-founded enterprises possess the strategic capability and resilience required to achieve sustainable success on the international stage.
Tanmantiong closed with a message to the audience: “The world is waiting for ASEAN’s next generation of entrepreneurs to write their own stories. I hope one begins with you. May you build boldly, bring others with you, and spread joy beyond borders.”
Inspiring the next generation of ASEAN entrepreneurs
Organized by SM Cares, the Global Peace Foundation Philippines, and ASEAN BAC Philippines, the landmark AYES 2026 stands as ASEAN BAC Philippines’ largest youth entrepreneurship initiative. The gathering brought together a diverse crowd of over 10,000 young entrepreneurs, startup founders, students, and key policymakers to drive innovation across Southeast Asia.
Expanding upon the foundations of the Global Youth Summit, this specialized 2026 edition intentionally widened its regional scope to directly support the Philippines’ ASEAN hosting. The extensive itinerary highlighted panels led by international and regional visionaries, interactive founder-led discussions, and dynamic youth enterprise showcases. The absolute centerpiece of the summit was the official launch of the ASEAN Youth Entrepreneurship Action Agenda, a groundbreaking, youth-driven framework engineered to structurally advance and scale business innovation across Southeast Asia.
