Marcos names ex-banker Aguda as new DICT chief
Henry Rhoel Aguda—PHOTO FROM DICT FB PAGE
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Henry Rhoel Aguda as the chief of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced Aguda’s designation on Thursday night, two weeks after it confirmed Mr. Marcos’ acceptance of then-DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy’s resignation.
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READ: Top contenders for DICT after Ivan Uy’s resignation
The PCO said Aguda’s experience “spans the banking, technology, and telecommunications sectors.”
His LinkedIn profile lists his expertise in the fields of digital transformation, digital banking, financial crimes, and data privacy.
Before he was appointed the new DICT secretary, Aguda was the president and chief executive officer of UnionDigital Bank, a position he left in August 2024.
He also served as the digital infrastructure lead of the Private Sector Advisory Council, which advises the President on collaborations between the government and the private sector.
Aguda was also the board chair of City Savings Bank and UBX Philippines; a member of the board of directors of Insular Health Care, BancNet, Metaverse Ventures and Platforms, and the Philippine Clearing House Corp.
He also served as senior executive vice president, among other positions, at the Union Bank of the Philippines, and as chief technology officer of Amihan Global Strategies, Globe Telecom, Digitel, and the Government Service Insurance System.
He helmed software development services at WeServ Systems International and led Nextel’s information operations.
In addition, Aguda was also assistant vice president of Bayantel Communication Holdings and managed the corporate data network of Manila Electric Co.
Aguda completed his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree and later, his Juris Doctor at the University of the Philippines.
He also finished the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and the Strategic Alliance Program at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Aguda is presently working on finishing his master’s degree in applied business economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific.
Earlier this month, Uy resigned from the DICT amid speculation over his supposedly underwhelming performance, such as inefficiencies and delays in priority digital infrastructure projects and a perceived lack of urgency in resolving connectivity issues.
Uy also drew flak from his detractors for his frequent trips abroad, which supposedly hindered his supervision of the agency’s operations.
