Cesar G. Romero, BSME’87
Cesar Romero never supposed he would one day be the President and Chief Executive Officer of a global energy company in the Philippines. “What I’m proud of is that Shell has given me the opportunity to work in an international environment where I am able to lead bigger teams; bigger than I would have ever imagined!”
Cesar’s fervor for learning, living and leading and Shell’s confidence in him helped shape his fruitful career. Following his graduation from the University of the Philippines, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree in four-and-a-half years, cum laude, and was president of the UP Gears and Pinions, Cesar joined Shell as a Refinery Engineer in 1987. He moved around the Shell business and the globe by working in Manufacturing, Retail, Supply Planning, Strategy, and Lubricants.
After leading big regional and global teams abroad based in the UK, Beijing, and Singapore for almost the last decade, he was happy to head home to lead Pilipinas Shell which by then was ushering a new era as a newly-listed company in the Philippines stock exchange. “I am very thankful to Shell for who I am today. I’ve been given the opportunity to lead bigger international teams. I get huge satisfaction if I am able to strike a win-win situation for Shell and the customer – something which I have also been rewarded for through progression opportunities in the company.”
Cesar is respected as a successful, yet humble, leader. With a master’s degree in Business Administration, summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan, and several management development courses at the London Business School and the Wharton Business School, Cesar has adopted a ‘situational’ management style. “There is no single leadership style that applies to all situations,” he says. “I prefer to adapt and use situational leadership to ensure that the team is given the right level of challenge and support. The key is to be able to bring out the best out of every team member appropriate for any given situation.”
His passion for self-development is evident through his day-to-day work and this allowed him to be a motivator to those who work with him: “Never treat a task or job as something that is beneath you. In every task and every job that you do, it is important to do your best and consciously learn about yourself.”
He recognizes the importance of working with humble and good people who have a positive effect on the company’s culture and to which he attributes his long stay at Shell: “If you’ve been in the company long enough like myself, you are continuously inspired and humbled by the quality of people.”
He likewise values the opportunity of meeting people and being aware of their opinions and sensitivities: “One of the things I love about retail is that you’re dealing with regular customers — I love that kind of simple yet quick feedback from customers.”
On dedication and perseverance in one’s work, Cesar advises: “Make use of the gifts you’ve been given and maximize the potential of that. By doing this, it becomes a mutually beneficial co-existence, as you are providing the best of yourself to the company and the company shall help support your talents.”
A self-described balanced individual, Cesar is an advocate for work-life balance: “I am a firm believer that a sound body constitutes a sound mind, so therefore I do my best to be quite disciplined with my exercise routine, my diet and my sleeping.”
At the end of the day Cesar leaves work feeling generally energized: ‘Being at Shell allows me to do something I find meaning in. The satisfaction I get from the great days outweigh the challenging days,” he says. Cesar’s career with Shell has been, and continues to be, a positive journey due to his flexible leadership style, balanced lifestyle and passion for self-development.
UPAE Alumni Awards received:
- 2017 Professional Degree Award in Mechanical Engineering