CLI appoints Jose Franco Soberano as president, CEO in leadership transition

Cebu City — Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI) has appointed Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Jose Franco B. Soberano as president and chief executive officer — replacing his father, founder Jose R. Soberano III — as the company expands beyond its traditional Visayas and Mindanao markets.

The appointment was approved during the listed property developer’s annual stockholders’ and organizational board meeting on Friday.

“This transition reflects years of deliberate preparation and a shared commitment to ensuring Cebu Landmasters remains strong for generations to come,” the elder Mr. Soberano, who will remain executive chairman and focus on strategic direction and governance matters, told stockholders. “Franco has played a critical role in shaping the company we are today and is well positioned to lead CLI through its next stage of growth.”

The leadership change comes as CLI accelerates its geographic expansion outside its core Visayas-Mindanao markets.

The company is preparing to launch its first residential mixed-use project in Pasig City and recently acquired a 70-hectare property in Dasmariñas, Cavite, for a township development.

Jose Franco joined CLI in 2010 and most recently served as chief operating officer, overseeing acquisitions, business development, project planning, construction, sales, customer service and property management.

During his tenure, the company expanded beyond residential developments into office, hospitality, retail, mixed-use and township projects.

CLI’s project portfolio also grew from 12 developments to more than 130 projects across 21 cities and municipalities.

“As our chairman has expressed his trust in the next generation of leadership, I humbly accept this responsibility with the deepest gratitude and with the highest respect for the legacy that Chairman Joe Soberano has built,” he said.

“As we build the CLI of the future, I call on our 1,500-strong organization to lean on the momentum we’ve built for many years and on the back of our renewed vision-mission to be masterful, resilient and yet very generous in our efforts,” he added.

CLI said the succession plan had been developed over several years as part of its long-term governance strategy.

The company also appointed Leonardo “Jun” D. Cuaresma, Jr. as independent director, replacing Ma. Aurora “Boots” D. Geotina-Garcia, who completed her term limit under Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

Mr. Cuaresma served as managing partner and chief operating officer of Punongbayan & Araullo and headed the Philippine Auditing and Assurance Standards Council.

CLI reported record reservation sales of P24.6 billion in 2025, up 45% year on year, driven by strong demand across its residential projects. Consolidated revenue reached P18.5 billion.

Founded in 2003, the company has grown into one of the country’s largest regional developers, with projects spanning residential, office, hospitality, mixed-use and master-planned communities. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno