Inquirer names Contreras new executive editor, Arbolado COO

Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) president and CEO Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez has appointed Sunday editor Joseph Voltaire “Volt” Contreras and chief financial officer Rudyard Arbolado as the company’s new executive editor and chief operating officer (COO), respectively.

Contreras replaced Jose Ma. Nolasco, who retired on Feb. 25, while Arbolado replaced Renato Reinoso, who retired on Dec. 31.

As executive editor, Contreras will exercise overall management of the editorial group, including setting editorial direction, timeliness and policies for the publication.

“Volt is very passionate in his craft. I believe his integrity and commitment will inspire the editorial team to further strengthen the credibility and brand journalism that the Inquirer is known for,” said Inquirer chair Raul Palabrica.

Meanwhile, Arbolado, as COO, will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations to achieve the company’s strategic business goals and financial objectives.

Arbolado will also collaborate with members of the business unit team, led by the CEO, in the planning, policy formulation, and execution of key business programs and activities that are needed to ensure the successful achievement of sales, marketing, finance, human resources, legal, information technology and other programs.

“I am confident Rudyard has the expertise and experience needed to help us navigate the financial and social challenges of the present media environment,” Romualdez said.

Homegrown

A homegrown Inquirer talent, Contreras started his career at PDI as a sports and news correspondent in 1991, when he was still a college student. He officially joined the company as a proofreader in 1993, and rose through the reporter ranks from 1994 until 2008, when he became desk editor.

His reportorial coverage took him from police beats to Congress, Sandiganbayan, Commission on Human Rights, and the foreign affairs, agriculture, environment and natural resources, education, interior and local government, and social welfare departments.

Contreras is also a recipient of prestigious awards and recognition, such as the Catholic Mass Media Awards, the Society of Publishers in Asia, and the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Investigative Journalism.

In 2011, Contreras was appointed chief of reporters and was named Metro editor a year later. He was appointed Sunday editor in March 2018.

Contreras studied journalism at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). He was an editor of The Flame, the student publication of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters, and was part of the group that revived the Thomasian Writers Guild.

Prior to his appointment, Arbolado was also PDI head of finance since January 2016, while concurrently serving as general counsel. He is also corporate secretary for charitable institutions like Gifts & Graces and Inquirer Foundation.

Lawyer and CPA

Arbolado started his career in PDI as a general counsel in 2007. A lawyer and certified public accountant (CPA), he earlier worked at Accra Law, GMA New Media, AMA Capital Holdings and Unicapital Securities.

He obtained both his degrees in business administration and accountancy and law from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. He passed the CPA board exam in October 1997 and was admitted to the Bar in May 2005.