Leading the Nickel Mining Industry Towards Sustainability: CEO Awards Honoree Antonio Co

The Business Manual CEO Awards 2025 gives recognition to the leadership of Antonio Co, President of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association.
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest sources of nickel, making the nickel mining industry both lucrative and, at times, controversial. Taking the lead as the industry navigates the complexities of achieving both growth and sustainability is Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) President Antonio Co.
His adaptability and disruptive leadership have been an outstanding example for other businessmen. Because of this, The Business Manual has chosen to honor him in its CEO Awards 2025.
Improving the Reputation of Nickel Mining
As president of PNIA, Antonio Co has been at the forefront of efforts to drive industry development. He has worked tirelessly to improve the reputation of the nickel mining sector in the country, particularly in terms of environmental stewardship, corporate responsibility, and social development.
Thanks to leadership, the association has been regarded as a trailblazer in advocating for responsible mining.

Adapting to Trends and Regulations
With the mining industry often subject to regulatory changes as well as changing market demands, Co’s leadership has helped the industry navigate these by encouraging a solid relationship between government and industry stakeholders.
Furthermore, his leadership has encouraged the adoption of technological innovations that have helped improve mining efforts and contributed to long-term growth.
Championing Sustainability
Co has also led efforts to promote sustainable mining practices in the industry by encouraging companies within the association to adopt more eco-friendly mining practices. Research and development efforts have likewise been made that aim to reduce environmental impact and enhance resource recovery.

Awards and Accolades
Antonio Co’s achievements and contributions to his industry have earned him numerous accolades through the years. The Mining Industry Awards has honored him with the Outstanding Leadership Award, while he also received the Corporate Social Responsibility Award from the National Mining Awards.
In recognition of his steadfast leadership, Co was given the Leadership Excellence Award by the Philippines Business and Economic Forum.
The Business Manual CEO Awards 2025: Honoring Industry Disruptors
The Business Manual is proud to hold its second CEO Awards. With the theme “Honoring Industry Disruptors,” this year’s The CEO Awards honors visionary leaders who are reshaping business landscapes, pushing boundaries, challenging the norm, and setting new standards of success.
Criteria for Excellence
This year’s awardees have been selected from a pool of nominations that include business leaders from both startups and industry giants. Each nomination has been carefully assessed in order to determine if the nominee exhibits the following qualifications in order to be considered for the award:
Innovation, Adaptability, and Disruptive Leadership
- Measures the CEO’s ability to drive innovation, adapt to market changes, and lead the company like industry disruptors who challenge norms and leave a lasting impact.
Effective Management and Strategic Governance
- Assesses the candidate’s business achievements. This includes how the CEO steers the company toward revenue growth and how he or she scales the business (both locally and internationally).
Brand Influence and Recognition in their Industry
- Considers how the CEO has built the credibility and reputation of the company. It gauges how known and recognizable the company is and whether it has attained brand awareness within a wide range of audiences.
Personal Image and Credibility
- Evaluates the CEO’s reputation and how well he or she is perceived by business partners, employees, stakeholders, and consumers. This also includes how he or she applies ethics as a leader, as well as how his or her image contributes to both brand and company representation.
Contribution to Society
- Determines how a CEO has effectively led his or her company and its overall contribution—not just to its respective industry, but to society as a whole. This includes how he or she has implemented corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs or social causes, attained local and/or international recognition, partnered with government initiatives, or exerted efforts for the country.
For this year, The Business Manual’s esteemed panel of judges include:
- Eric Pike Caeg (International Council for Small Business)
- Jay Fajardo (Ideaspace Ventures)
- Mina Akram (Go Negosyo)
- Rhoda Castro-Caliwara (Women Business Council)
- Ronn Astillas (Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce)
- Consul Sergio Ortiz Luis (Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
Stay updated with the full coverage of The Business Manual CEO Awards 2025 via The Business Manual’s official website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.