Who is Frederick Go?

Malacañang on Monday afternoon announced the appointment of Frederick Go as Finance Secretary, succeeding Ralph Recto who was named as Executive Secretary.

Before his latest designation in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet, Go served as Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (SAPIEA).

He also chaired the Economic Development Group where he monitored government agencies in the economic cluster, including the Department of Finance (DOF).

Among the agencies he monitored are the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Board of Investments (BOI), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

As SAPIEA, Go was tasked to ensure the effective integration, coordination, and implementation of the government’s various investment and economic policies and programs and was mandated to drive the timely delivery of investment projects, trade, agreements, and pledges.

Before joining the government, Go served as chairman, vice-chairman, president, chief executive officer, and director in six listed companies, including Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), which he joined in 1992.

He was also part of over 100 corporations in various industries covering media, retail, real estate, food, banking, finance, airlines, airports, petrochemicals, gaming, and power.

Go also served as a business reporter for The Manila Times after it was bought by his late uncle, John Gokongwei Jr. in 1989. He was also editor-in-chief of The Guidon, Ateneo de Manila University’s student publication. — JMA, GMA Integrated News