In 1834, Domingo Roxas and partner Antonio de Ayala established a company that had no precursor, no precedent. Endowed with limited resources and a brave, optimistic vision of what the future might hold, our founding partners were among the nation’s first entrepreneurs. They found themselves hungry for opportunity and eager for evolutionary ways to do business. One wonders if they knew how long and how far their undertaking would go, or if they had an idea that the company they established would be a precursor to the conglomerate that it is today.

One thing we know is that they built the company as though they knew and believed it would last. In 2009, Ayala still finds itself building paths to opportunities and creating new ways to forge ahead. Our course remains clear and true. And the values by which we live continue to resonate.

Ayala’s spirit of innovation and untiring drive for excellence are more than mere catchphrases. They have formed part of the very foundation of our existence.

The trust we have carefully sought and painstakingly built in the partnerships we have forged and nurtured has become part of the very framework of our every relationship.

Today, Ayala is still very much informed by the entrepreneurial vision that created it almost two centuries ago. It continues to find itself at the forefront of the industries it has chosen to participate in, and continues to identify and develop more opportunities in other areas of promise.

Moreover, Ayala now finds itself seeking to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit in all aspects of society. Through our enterprises and the products and services they offer, we have opened the doors to millions of Filipinos who seek opportunity and carry a bright vision of their future, and the future of the very nation itself.

This short historical review hopes to trace the company’s history and reveal the threads that have given us the strength, the stability and the vision that make us what we are today. It also seeks to glean the true character of Ayala from its history, its legacy, its enduring value and its people.

You will discover that the strongest threads that hold us together today have been woven to Ayala since the start. As the country's oldest business house, we are proud to have been there at the very beginning of our nation's entrepreneurial history.

And we are proud to be here today, at the beginning of our nation's bright future.