George S.K. Ty is a Chinese-Filipino tycoon and the founder of the universal bank, Metropolitan and Trust Company or Metrobank. He is the Chairman of the Metrobank Group, Metrobank Foundation, Toyota Motor Philippine Corporation and the former Chairman of Toyota Autoparts Philippine Corporation.
Background
Ty's chinese name Siao stands for youth and Kian, persistence. He is born to parents Noberto Uy and Mary Vy Ty in Hong Kong and settled in Binondo when they came to the Philippines. His children are Arthur Ty, Alfred Ty, Anjanette Ty, Margaret Ty, and Zandra Ty.
Career
In 1962, when Ty was just 29 years old he founded Metrobank with business partners, Don Emilio Abello, Don Pio Pedrosa and Placido Mapa, Sr. The bank went public in 1981. He had been the Chairman of the Board from 1975 to 2006 until Antonio Abacan, Jr. succeeded him. He is now the Chairman of the Metrobank Group since 2006.
In 1988, Mitsui Corporation partnered with Ty’s Metrobank to put up Toyota Motor Philippine Corporation with the former having 51-percent stake and the only Toyota subsidiary to be locally-owned. He has been the Chairman of the Board since 1988. He also served as the Chairman of the Totyota Autoparts Philippine Corporation from 1990 to 2005.
Aside from these, Ty also serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board of First Metro International Investment Corporation Hong Kong since 202 and Manila Doctors Hospital since 1979. He is an Honorary Chairman o First Metro Travel Inc. since 1989 and Chairman of Manila Doctors College since 2008.
When Ty founded Metrobank, he envisioned setting up a foundation wherein he could give back to the community. 16 years later, in 1979, he established Metrobank Foundation, which eventually acquired controlling interest in Manila Doctors Hospital. He has served as the Chairman of the Foundation since. To date, the foundation honors teachers, soldiers, policemen and artists.
In 1993, to celebrate wedding of his son Arthur Ty, Ty donated USD20 million to the foundation. In 1999, he donated another USD 30 million, to celebrate the wedding of his other son, Alfred Ty.
In 2009, Ty revealed that he is donating a P1.2 billion prime land in Metropolitan park to established the Philippines’ largest non-profit hospital that will have a 1,000 bed-capacity, and another P5 billion to for operational costs.
Such was Ty’s generosity that former first lady, Corazon Aquino remarked, “the beautiful example of openness, international solidarity, and outstanding philanthropy...needs to be emulated by more people who have been blessed in life.