Henry Sy is a Filipino businessman who founded SM, one of the largest retail conglomerates in the Philippines. He was born in China in 1923 and immigrated to the Philippines at age 12, where he helped his father's small grocery store. Sy grew his business over decades, establishing the Shoe Mart store in 1958, then building the first SM Mall in 1985. Today, SM owns over 40 malls in the Philippines and has interests in retail, banking, real estate, and other industries, making Sy the richest person in the country for the past 5 years.

1. Henry Sy
Life & Inspiration

2. Profile
• Real Name : Henry Sy, Sr
• Chinese Name:
• Chinese Name:Sy Chi Sieng literally meant "to attain ultimate success"
• Born : December 25, 1923, Xiamen, China
• Residence : Manila, Philippines
• Nationality : Filipino
• Occupation : Chairman of SM Prime Holdings
• Net worth : US$ 9.2 Billion
• Known for : Founder of SM
• Parents : Henry H. Sy & Tan O Sia
• Wife: Felicidad Tan Sy
• Children : 6 children
• Teresita Sy-Coson
• Henry T. Sy Jr.
• Hans T. Sy
• Herbert T. Sy
• Elizabeth T. Sy
• Harley T. Sy
•
• Schools Attended : Far Eastern University
• Fortune: Self made
• Source: Malls

3. Small Beginnings
• 1935 – At the age of 11, his father left the family, for a country that was then a US territorial
protectorate. His father was a trader seeking for good opportunities in a place where economic
progress was bright and promising
• 1936 - followed his dad and migrated to the Philippines at the tender age of twelve. It was in the
year 1936 when he left his home village Ang-khue of the Dieng-oh municipality in the county of
Jinjiang, now a city, which lies near Xiamen in Fujian province. His mom told him “ Never look
back”.
• - The two were reunited in a cramped space of only 30 square meters in floor area in a dirty
street in the district of Quiapo, central Manila. He saw his father again in poor health conditions
which moved him a lot. His father was a proprietor of a tiny grocery store on Echague Street, -
now Carlos Palanca Sr. St. - just behind the city's notorious Chinatown.
• HIS MAIN GOAL IN LIFE: The will to strive for excellence and to overcome the harsh
environment of poverty through the discipline of hard work and frugality. He has learned the value
of honesty and patience in the business.

4. The Birth of SM
• 1936 – enrolled as Grade One at the Anglo Saxon school of Quiapo at the age of 12
• World War II - local economy collapsed during the Japanese occupation, businesses closed and
the country's industries were all destroyed after the Battle for Manila
• 1946 – his father flew back to China without second thoughts, the young Henry Sy decided to
stay.
• 1949 - received his first credit line from the China Bank and was lent with one million Philippine
pesos, approved by financial tycoon Mr. Yap Tian Siang.
• 1950- to improve his entrepreneurial skills in the buy and sell trade, he later enrolled at the Far
Eastern University in 1950 and took up a degree in Associate in Arts in Commercial Studies. . He
also considered the change of his legal name into Henry Sy after obtaining Philippine citizenship
• 1958 – first Shoe Mart store was established
• 1972- Shoe Mart store wasn built in Dowtown Manila
• 1985 – first SM Mall was built in North Edsa

5. 6 Children
Teresita Sy- Coson (SMIC) Henry I. Sy Jr. (CEO of SMDC) Hans I. Sy (CEO of SMPH)
Herbert I. Sy (SuperMarket) Elizabeth I. Sy (SVP of SMPH) Harley I. Sy (China Bank)

6. Business Interests
• SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) is the holding company of the SM Group of
Companies. SMIC is engaged in four businesses through its subsidiaries: shopping
mall development and management (SM Prime Holdings, Inc.), retail merchandising
(SM Department Stores, SM Supermarket and SM Hypermarket); financial services
(Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. and China Banking Corporation), and real estate
development and tourism (SM Land, Inc., SM Development
Corporation and Highlands Prime, Inc.).
• SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (PSE: SMPH) or SM Prime is the parent company of the
SM Group’s shopping malls. It is the largest shopping mall and retail operator in the
Philippines. It was incorporated on 6 January 1994 by Filipino-Chinese
entrepreneur Henry Sy to develop, conduct, operate and maintain the SM commercial
shopping centers and all businesses related thereto, such as the lease of commercial
spaces within the compound of shopping centers. It later went public on 5 July 1994
and subsequently grew to become the largest company listed on the Philippine Stock
Exchange in terms of revenue.

7. • Banco De Oro Unibank Inc. (BDO), originally known as Acme Savings Bank, was
acquired by the SM Group in 1976. The SM Group is one of the largest
conglomerates in the Philippines, with substantial interests in financial services, real
estate development, and tourism and entertainment, founded around its core
business in commercial centers and retailing. BDO listed its shares on the Philippine
Stock Exchange (PSE) on May 21, 2002.
• San Miguel Corporation (PSE: SMC and SMCB) is the largest publicly listed food,
beverage and packaging company in the Philippines. As of 2001, its business
generated 3.6 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product and 4.5 percent of
the government’s tax revenue. Founded in 1890 as a brewery, San Miguel now
makes nine out of every 10 bottles of beer, 87 percent of the soft drinks, 60 percent
of the processed meat and 40 percent of the poultry sold in the Philippines. The
trade-name San Miguel originates from St. Michael the archangel.

8. • Belle Corporation is a leading Philippine developer of high-end residential and
leisure properties. Its products are located in a recreational area comprising
mountains, rolling hills, and lakeshores about 1-2 hours south of Manila in Tagaytay
City and Batangas province, with spectacular views of Taal Lake and the surrounding
countryside.The Belle Group owns approximately 1,280 hectares of undeveloped
land around existing finished and in-process projects, on which it will develop future
projects over at least the next five years without the need for substantial new land
acquisitions.
• Highlands Prime, Inc. engages in developing leisure properties in the Philippines.
The company’s property assets comprise undeveloped land, subdivision lots, and
finished residential units located in Tagaytay City, Cavite, and Batangas. It sells its
products primarily to members of Tagaytay Highlands International Golf Club, Inc.;
Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club, Inc.; and The Country Club at Tagaytay Highlands
through accredited sales agents and brokers.

9. • China Banking Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial
banking products and services to businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as to
individuals in the Philippines. It offers deposit products, loans and trade finance,
domestic and foreign fund transfers, treasury products, trust products, foreign
exchange, corporate finance, and other investment banking services. The company
also offers insurance brokerage, computer services, and asset management
services.
• SM Development Corporation (SMDC) was originally incorporated in 1974 as Ayala
Fund, Inc., a closed-end investment company. In March 1986, it was renamed SM
Fund, Inc. after the SM Group of Companies took majority ownership of the company.
Since then, SM Fund, Inc. remained as an investment company providing investors
with a professionally managed vehicle to invest in diversified businesses in the
country.

10. Now....
• For 5th consecutive year, Henry Sy is the richest man in the Philippines
• Has built 46 malls in the Philippines, and 4 outside the country
• SM is the biggest retail business & BDO as the biggest bank in terms of assets
• Owns SM foundation which provides educational, health & livelihood assistance to
the less fortunate people

11. “There are countless ways to make more money. Only your
willingness to work, your imagination, and time can limit
the ways.” – Henry Sy

12. Sources
• http://www.manilatimes.net/~manilati/index.php/opinion/c
olumnist1/30380-already-the-richest-filipino-henry-sy-sr-
keeps-growing-his-business
• http://ph.news.yahoo.com/sm-prime-hans-sy-joins-
unisdr-private-sector-084132481--finance.html
• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_life_history_of_H
enry_Sy
• http://www.millionaireacts.com/676/henry-sy-success-
story.html
• http://www.rappler.com/business/7377-for-5th-year-in-
row,-henry-sy-is-ph-s-richest-man