Bryan and Brandon Liu Are ‘Building Brands for the World’ and Shaping the Future of GOLDEN ABC
A new wave of leadership is driving the company forward with Brandon’s recent appointment as VP of Penshoppe and Bryan’s role as VP for Strategy and Operations.
Penshoppe started as a t-shirt brand in 1986. By the early ‘90s, it had grown into a popular staple among the youth, who would wear Penshoppe as part of their wardrobe and create doodles of its then ubiquitous pen-shaped logo. The company, now known as GOLDEN ABC, Inc. (GABC), has since evolved into a multi-awarded retail enterprise led by its Executive Chairman, Bernie Liu and President and CEO, Alice Liu. Joining them at the helm are their sons, Bryan and Brandon Liu, ushering in the third generation of leadership.
Bryan, as the VP for GOLDEN ABC’s Strategy and Operations, oversees sales, marketing, supply chain, and innovation for all the brands–Penshoppe, OXGN, Regatta, ForMe, Memo, and BOCU. He plays a critical role in aligning strategy with execution, from the drawing board of product development to the frontlines of customer experience.
On the other hand, newly minted VP of Penshoppe, Brandon, handles product strategy, marketing, and customer experience, making every tangible effort possible to align Penshoppe’s creative vision with its commercial and operational priorities.
Though their roles differ, Brandon and Bryan move in step with the company’s values and direction while giving each other the space to lead in their own ways. They claim to trust each other’s instincts, but they aren’t afraid to challenge each other, either.
‘Building Brands for the World’
Penshoppe, GOLDEN ABC’s flagship brand, has sustained formidable success for nearly four decades. Brandon, however, relentlessly strives to keep pushing it forward.
“My goal is to keep it relevant to today’s youth, both in the Philippines and overseas, and continue evolving it into a brand that feels globally competitive, yet distinctly Filipino,” Bryan says in an interview with The Business Manual.
Brandon’s goal is aligned with GOLDEN ABC’s vision of ‘Building Brands for the World’ and its purpose of ‘Inspiring Greatness.’ Every brand that the company builds is rooted in these two principles.
Bryan confirms this, saying, “If it doesn’t touch either of these two, then maybe we have to revisit why it’s with us, [or] why it should be part of us. But these two philosophies are really what drive us to manage our current and look for new brand concepts.”
Their father, Bernie, in multiple instances, has reiterated that his vision is not to bring the world’s best to the Philippines, but “to bring the Philippines’ best to the world.”
According to Bryan, that focus hasn’t changed, but their ways of bringing that purpose to life is constantly evolving. Questions need to be asked. How can we modernize without losing what matters? What do our people and customers need now?
“Our role is to take the foundation they laid and push it further.”
Tradition Meets Innovation
“We’re very conscious not to reject traditions just for the sake of change. We try to carry them forward in ways that feel alive and relevant.,” Brandon says. “The goal is to keep growing the company without ever losing the values it was built on.”
At the end of the day, the company’s core values–integrity, professionalism, service, spirit of enterprise, and stewardship–guide Brandon and Bryan in making big decisions. This, along with recently applied modern principles, have helped them manage succession and cross-generational work.
Bryan believes in applying the three I’s–imitating, innovating, and inventing–to breed synergy while working with an older generation of leaders. By imitating what the pioneers did well, innovating with them, and inventing new approaches and business principles to take forward, the Liu brothers are able to help the company grow while staying true to the values on which it was built.
As VP for Strategy and Operations, Bryan championed GABC’s digital transformation, embedding innovation into core operations to future-proof the business. Among the company’s successful initiatives is mounting a state-of-the-art distribution center, equipped with highly advanced automation systems to optimize efficiency and support nationwide operations.
Every path to innovation comes with a long list of speculated risks and questions. However, GOLDEN ABC’s Board of Directors, though careful and discerning, has been ultimately supportive of adopting modern methods to keep the company agile and competitive, according to Bryan.
Communication and Collaboration are Non-Negotiable
Continuously innovating an already established brand requires a solid team to carry out well-defined objectives. For Brandon, leading Penshoppe is not a one-man show; everyone in his team has a voice in key discussions.
“In terms of the ideas that they put forward, it’s always an exchange of ideas and an ongoing discussion on how we can do things better–whether that’s with branding, whether that’s with events, with products, with choices of endorser–it’s always an ongoing discussion,” he says. “I’m fortunate to be at the helm of it, but then it’s not just me. There’s a whole great team behind it.”
This commitment to open communication and collaboration extends beyond GABC’s head office and trickles down to operations.
“Communication is such a big part of what allows us to align strategy and operations well, and personally it’s a big part of how I like to work,” Bryan reveals.
While having the correct strategy, structure and systems in place are vital, communication is equally as important. “The lack of communication will destroy any strategy and any organization–no matter how big or no matter how small you are, even–the lack of communication will destroy you.”
Having the right communication tools and principles matters. Part of that, in a company with a network of operations as wide as GABC’s, is taking the time to talk with people in on-ground operations, including store managers and staff.
Both Bryan and Brandon make it a point to visit their stores–a habit instilled in them early on–not only in Metro Manila, but also in other locations across the country. Bridging the stores with the head office has always been part of how they work.
Bryan continues, “Anytime we go to a new place, whether it’s in Cebu (Penshoppe’s place of origin) or Mindanao–of course in Manila, it’s part of our schedules already–is really to visit our stores and talk to our store manager, store team, to hear from them. That’s one of the strongest ways we can really align strategy and operations across the board.”
A Filipino Brand in a Global, Digital-First Landscape
Leading a proudly Filipino brand in this day and age entails “building with authenticity, creating products and experiences that speak to who we are, while holding our own on the global stage,” according to Brandon.
“Being a Filipino brand isn’t about putting a flag on every label. It’s about how we show up in the world—with heart, creativity, and grit,” he says.
Bryan adds, “We want people to say, ‘That’s a Filipino brand—and it’s world-class.’ It’s about pride, but also about raising standards, from design to service to values.”
For its part, GOLDEN ABC has invested heavily in digital executions over the past few years, across areas such as e-commerce, automation, internal platforms, and data systems. The company built systems from scratch, as these concepts were fairly new when GABC invested in them. These, however, have since become central to how the company operates.
“Even from a brand lens, we think digital-first. From product drops to campaigns, we want every touchpoint to feel seamless and connected to how people live today,” says Brandon.
Penshoppe, as well as GABC’s other brands, has led its own set of digitally driven initiatives “For Penshoppe, the focus is on relevance and reach. We’re working on new concepts that speak to today’s youth, and expanding our presence in markets where Filipino brands haven’t traditionally played.”
Lessons for the Long Game
Bryan and Brandon share lessons they’ve learned at work–and at play.
Lead from the front
Brandon learned this from his parents, Bernie and Alice, who led by example and showed him that true leadership means never asking your team to do anything you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself.
Business is about people
Bryan learned this not only from his parents, but also from the company’s founders–his grandparents.
“Early on, I was focused on output, but my parents reminded me that if you want to make lasting change, you need to bring people with you and have them rally behind your causes,” Bryan recalls.
Ask questions and listen
“Leadership is less about having the answers and more about asking the right questions—and listening,” Bryan advises.
Change takes time
“You can’t fix everything at once. But small, consistent progress adds up,” Brandon explains.
Nothing worth your while ever comes easy
This has become a personal mantra for Bryan, who has also gotten into running as a sport and has even subjected himself to training for marathons.
“Pre-sunrise alarms, resisting ‘just one more episode’ at night, and even choosing a freezing shower over a warm one all test my discipline,” he says.
“I believe that finding your own version of ‘hard’ is a powerful way to grow—both at work and in life.”
“Pressure is a privilege”
Brandon, who is currently working on polishing his tennis skills on top of being an executive, borrows this oft-referenced quote from tennis legend Billie Jean King.
“Whether in high-adrenaline sports training or corporate setting, feeling pressure just means you’re in a position to make an impact—and that’s a privilege you shouldn’t take for granted. That’s something I carry with me every day,” Brandon relates.
For Bryan and Brandon Liu, the work ahead is clear: to shape brands–and lead a company– that are not only relevant today but resilient enough for tomorrow. As leaders, they balance the demands of strategy and creativity, execution and vision, tradition and innovation.
Their approach is pragmatic yet ambitious—anchored in values, but always adapting new ways of doing business. The Liu brothers are not just growing a business and driving a company forward. They are laying the groundwork for the next chapter of GOLDEN ABC and, by extension, of Philippine fashion retail.
Read more:
Redefining Philippine Fashion and Retail: CEO Awards Honoree Bernie Liu
PRA Re-Elects Board of Directors, Names Golden ABC’s Alice Liu as President
