Our Team

Carmina Bayombong
CEO & Founder
Carmina Bayombong
Carmina is the CEO and Founder of InvestEd- the Philippines’ most sustainable and inclusive student loan company. Under her leadership, InvestEd has provided financial aid to hundreds of students and received more than Php 35 million in funding from individuals and institutions. Carmina has garnered numerous awards such as The Philippines’ Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service, Cartier Women’s Initiative Laureate for Southeast Asia, Obama Asia Pacific Leaders, and Dubai World Expo’s Top 120 Global Innovators.
Carmina strongly believes that education and technology for good is the key to any nation’s advancement. As a college student, she was already managing multiple scholarship funds through her youth organizations. Over the past 8 years, she has also trained more than 6,000 youth in topics of employment, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. Carmina is also the Development Director of the Domingo Artificial Intelligence Research Center in the University of the Philippines, Los Banos- a foundation focused on AI solutions for healthcare. Carmina previously worked with Smarter Good Inc.- a firm that raises millions of dollars for social enterprises around the world. She also worked on projects with leading institutions such as Ashoka, Australian National University, Lutheran World Relief, and USAID.
After years of immersion in the problem of education financing, both locally and globally, Carmina decided it was time to start InvestEd. Her dream to this day is to see a world where opportunity to succeed is always paid forward to those who don’t have it.
Carmina has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines; three certificate courses from the Asian Institute of Management on Entrepreneurship, Startup Management and Data Strategy and a Social Entrepreneurship Certificate from INSEAD.

Melissa Dee
Special Projects Lead & Co-Founder
Melissa Dee
Carmina Bayombong
Carmina is the CEO and Founder of InvestEd- the Philippines’ most sustainable and inclusive student loan company. Under her leadership, InvestEd has provided financial aid to hundreds of students and received more than Php 35 million in funding from individuals and institutions. Carmina has garnered numerous awards such as The Philippines’ Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service, Cartier Women’s Initiative Laureate for Southeast Asia, Obama Asia Pacific Leaders, and Dubai World Expo’s Top 120 Global Innovators.
Carmina strongly believes that education and technology for good is the key to any nation’s advancement. As a college student, she was already managing multiple scholarship funds through her youth organizations. Over the past 8 years, she has also trained more than 6,000 youth in topics of employment, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. Carmina is also the Development Director of the Domingo Artificial Intelligence Research Center in the University of the Philippines, Los Banos- a foundation focused on AI solutions for healthcare. Carmina previously worked with Smarter Good Inc.- a firm that raises millions of dollars for social enterprises around the world. She also worked on projects with leading institutions such as Ashoka, Australian National University, Lutheran World Relief, and USAID.
After years of immersion in the problem of education financing, both locally and globally, Carmina decided it was time to start InvestEd. Her dream to this day is to see a world where opportunity to succeed is always paid forward to those who don’t have it.
Carmina has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines; three certificate courses from the Asian Institute of Management on Entrepreneurship, Startup Management and Data Strategy and a Social Entrepreneurship Certificate from INSEAD.
Melissa Dee

Adrian Robles
People and Culture
Adrian J. Robles, MHRMIR
Adrian is also the founder and chief Knowledge Officer of Behávio Consulting, a firm that focuses on helping organizations capture and sustain their competitive advantage through creative conversations and knowledge creation. He was also a consultant for the Vietnam Electric Company, Bureau of Internal Revenue & Bureau of Treasury.
Adrian earned a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations from the University of Sydney under the Australia Awards Scholarship program and is a recipient of the 2013 Australia Leadership Award. He was the National President of the Philippine Society for Training & Development in 2014-2015 and remained as one of its advisers. Also, he was the People Mentor of the Ideaspace Foundation for its Ideaspace Competition 2016, where he helps the technopreneurs, the finalist in the competition, on HR-related matters.
Adrian was the recipient of 2016 Fujitsu Foundation Scholarship Program for its Global Leadership for Innovation and Knowledge (GLIK) program, where he was trained in Tokyo, Hawaii, Singapore and Thailand by experts including Ikujiro Nonaka, dubbed as the father of knowledge management. He received three of the four major awards in the Program: Most Distinguished Student (highest academic ratings), President’s Award for Innovation (for their consulting project for the Alzheimer Association – Aloha Chapter), and 2nd place for the Capstone Innovation Project (#age-friendly PHILIPPINES: Building a society that cares for the elderly.

Aura Matias
Engineering and Higher Education
Aura C. Matias, Ph.D., ASEAN Engr.
She earned her BS and MS degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines and later obtained her doctorate in Industrial Engineering specializing in Human Factors at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
She has published her research work in referred journals like the Ergonomics Journal, Occupational Ergonomics, and the Philippine Engineering Journal. She is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal on Human Factors in Manufacturing and the Regional Editor of the International Journal on Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering.
She has received national recognition for her work as an educator, researcher and professional achievements. Dr. Matias was named as one of “The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service” (TOWNS) in the field of Industrial Engineering last October 2004 and the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award for Engineering Research from the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP).
In 2007, she received two awards from the University of the Philippines. She received the Outstanding Engineering Professor Award from the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation (UPERDFI) and the Outstanding Professional Achievement in Science and Technology Award from the UP Alumni Association. She was conferred the title of ASEAN Engineer and listed in the ASEAN Engineer Registry in 2008.
Her professional involvements have been characterized by both application of her expertise and her creativity in generating new knowledge that form the basis of government policy formulation and decision-making structures, providing valuable operational and business planning information, and increasing public awareness through the development and implementation of a performance based rating systems, increasing commitment of industry to uplift the quality of life of the Filipino workers through improved health and better working conditions by pursuing health promotion and advocacy as well as promoting environmental and social safeguards for sustainable infrastructure development.

Carlos Jesena
Corporate Finance Startups
Carlos E. Jesena, MHRMIR
Currently, he is an Advisor to Seedbox Technologies Inc. and has provided advice on organizational structure and key roles in the organization. He was also the Mentor for PhilDev – Innovation for Social Impact Partnership (ISIP)’s Social Impact Accelerator where he advised Social Enterprises in Finance-related matters.
Carlos earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accountancy (BAA) at the University of the Philippines Diliman and passed the CFA Level 1 Exam.
Carlos was previously an Associate of ICCP Venture Partners/ICCP SBI Venture Partners, where he regularly engaged and provided analyst support for portfolio companies’ projects, covering mainly financial planning & analysis, financial modelling, valuation and sector research & analysis. Prior to that, he was also an Equity Analyst for ATR Asset Management, providing coverage of companies in the Consumer, Retail and Property sectors, and supporting the management of over P80B of equities in mutual funds and trust accounts. He regularly met with company management, wrote equity research reports, built financial models, produced buy/sell/hold recommendations for portfolio managers, and evaluated upcoming IPO’s

Jobi Dimayuga
Treasury and Development Lending
Jose D. L. Dimayuga
His current stint in DBP brings his career full circle, as he started his career in the public sector. He also held the rank of Assistant Secretary, and headed the International Finance Group of the Department of Finance.
Adrian J. Robles, MHRMIR
Adrian is also the founder and chief Knowledge Officer of Behávio Consulting, a firm that focuses on helping organizations capture and sustain their competitive advantage through creative conversations and knowledge creation. He was also a consultant for the Vietnam Electric Company, Bureau of Internal Revenue & Bureau of Treasury.
Adrian earned a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations from the University of Sydney under the Australia Awards Scholarship program and is a recipient of the 2013 Australia Leadership Award. He was the National President of the Philippine Society for Training & Development in 2014-2015 and remained as one of its advisers. Also, he was the People Mentor of the Ideaspace Foundation for its Ideaspace Competition 2016, where he helps the technopreneurs, the finalist in the competition, on HR-related matters.
Adrian was the recipient of 2016 Fujitsu Foundation Scholarship Program for its Global Leadership for Innovation and Knowledge (GLIK) program, where he was trained in Tokyo, Hawaii, Singapore and Thailand by experts including Ikujiro Nonaka, dubbed as the father of knowledge management. He received three of the four major awards in the Program: Most Distinguished Student (highest academic ratings), President’s Award for Innovation (for their consulting project for the Alzheimer Association – Aloha Chapter), and 2nd place for the Capstone Innovation Project (#age-friendly PHILIPPINES: Building a society that cares for the elderly.
Aura C. Matias, Ph.D., ASEAN Engr.
She earned her BS and MS degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines and later obtained her doctorate in Industrial Engineering specializing in Human Factors at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
She has published her research work in referred journals like the Ergonomics Journal, Occupational Ergonomics, and the Philippine Engineering Journal. She is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal on Human Factors in Manufacturing and the Regional Editor of the International Journal on Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering.
She has received national recognition for her work as an educator, researcher and professional achievements. Dr. Matias was named as one of “The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service” (TOWNS) in the field of Industrial Engineering last October 2004 and the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award for Engineering Research from the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP).
In 2007, she received two awards from the University of the Philippines. She received the Outstanding Engineering Professor Award from the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation (UPERDFI) and the Outstanding Professional Achievement in Science and Technology Award from the UP Alumni Association. She was conferred the title of ASEAN Engineer and listed in the ASEAN Engineer Registry in 2008.
Her professional involvements have been characterized by both application of her expertise and her creativity in generating new knowledge that form the basis of government policy formulation and decision-making structures, providing valuable operational and business planning information, and increasing public awareness through the development and implementation of a performance based rating systems, increasing commitment of industry to uplift the quality of life of the Filipino workers through improved health and better working conditions by pursuing health promotion and advocacy as well as promoting environmental and social safeguards for sustainable infrastructure development.
Carlos E. Jesena, MHRMIR
Currently, he is an Advisor to Seedbox Technologies Inc. and has provided advice on organizational structure and key roles in the organization. He was also the Mentor for PhilDev – Innovation for Social Impact Partnership (ISIP)’s Social Impact Accelerator where he advised Social Enterprises in Finance-related matters.
Carlos earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accountancy (BAA) at the University of the Philippines Diliman and passed the CFA Level 1 Exam.
Carlos was previously an Associate of ICCP Venture Partners/ICCP SBI Venture Partners, where he regularly engaged and provided analyst support for portfolio companies’ projects, covering mainly financial planning & analysis, financial modelling, valuation and sector research & analysis. Prior to that, he was also an Equity Analyst for ATR Asset Management, providing coverage of companies in the Consumer, Retail and Property sectors, and supporting the management of over P80B of equities in mutual funds and trust accounts. He regularly met with company management, wrote equity research reports, built financial models, produced buy/sell/hold recommendations for portfolio managers, and evaluated upcoming IPO’s
Jose D. L. Dimayuga
His current stint in DBP brings his career full circle, as he started his career in the public sector. He also held the rank of Assistant Secretary, and headed the International Finance Group of the Department of Finance.

Richard Cruz
Marketing and Business Management
Richard Anthony L. Cruz
Since joining the Institute in 1997, he has held several management and governance positions within the Institute including being Head of the School of Executive Education, a member of the AIM Board of Trustees and multiple academic and administrative positions.
Aside from teaching, Prof. Cruz continues to be an active consultant in the Telecommunications, Finance, Real Estate and Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing sectors. His clients include Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms, Ayala Land, Nestle Philippines, Voyager Innovations, Megaworld, DMCI, Holcim Philippines, Convergys, Mirant Philippines, Concepcion Industries, Harbour Centre Port Terminal, Transnational Diversified Group, SGV and Company, D&L Industries, United Laboratories, Tutuban Properties among others.
He finished his Master in Business Administration degree (with Distinction) from the Asian Institute of Management in 1997. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1992. He was also a scholar at the Philippine Science High School.
Prof. Cruz has also facilitated planning and learning activities with global, regional and national government agencies such as International Rice Research Institute, the South East Asia Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, The Philippines Department of Science and Technology, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Prof. Cruz is also an active advocate of entrepreneurship and innovation. He works closely with the AIM-Dado Banatao Incubator, is the Program Director of the AIM Innovation Fellowship Program and had led partnerships with Bonifacio Global City and AXA Philippines. He is actively involved in th AIM-DOST-British Embassy sponsored Leaders in Innovation Fellowship. He is also directing a program in partnership with Ideaspace, the start-up accelerator of the MVP Group. He has also worked closely with the Philippine Software Industry Association – Special Interest Group on Product Development in mentoring start-up software venture.

Tess Bayombong
Microfinance
Maria Teresa F. Bayombong
Tess’s professional practice includes 25 years of solid experience in enterprise, economic development and microfinance sectors; held various senior management positions; led teams in program strategy development and implementation; and involvement in the highest level of organizational planning and management for achieving organizational viability. She has demonstrated capacity for effective financial and human resources management.
Her stint in CARE encompassed international posts in various countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Indonesia and Tanzania, including short-term assignments in Georgia in USA, Ottawa in Canada, Kenya and Cambodia. Prior to joining CARE, Tess spent ten years working in development programs of Ayala Foundation and Philippine Development Assistance Program (PDAP).
Tess combines her strong business orientation and long development program management experience. Her work approaches have emphasized pragmatic adaptations of academic knowledge, experiential learning and community practice in strengthening host country institutions and local capacities, and promoting and building viable social enterprises to address food security, household livelihood, and environmental protection/climate adaptation objectives.

Johnny Escaler
Investment Banking
Johnny Escaler
Richard Anthony L. Cruz
Since joining the Institute in 1997, he has held several management and governance positions within the Institute including being Head of the School of Executive Education, a member of the AIM Board of Trustees and multiple academic and administrative positions.
Aside from teaching, Prof. Cruz continues to be an active consultant in the Telecommunications, Finance, Real Estate and Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing sectors. His clients include Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms, Ayala Land, Nestle Philippines, Voyager Innovations, Megaworld, DMCI, Holcim Philippines, Convergys, Mirant Philippines, Concepcion Industries, Harbour Centre Port Terminal, Transnational Diversified Group, SGV and Company, D&L Industries, United Laboratories, Tutuban Properties among others.
He finished his Master in Business Administration degree (with Distinction) from the Asian Institute of Management in 1997. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1992. He was also a scholar at the Philippine Science High School.
Prof. Cruz has also facilitated planning and learning activities with global, regional and national government agencies such as International Rice Research Institute, the South East Asia Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, The Philippines Department of Science and Technology, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Prof. Cruz is also an active advocate of entrepreneurship and innovation. He works closely with the AIM-Dado Banatao Incubator, is the Program Director of the AIM Innovation Fellowship Program and had led partnerships with Bonifacio Global City and AXA Philippines. He is actively involved in th AIM-DOST-British Embassy sponsored Leaders in Innovation Fellowship. He is also directing a program in partnership with Ideaspace, the start-up accelerator of the MVP Group. He has also worked closely with the Philippine Software Industry Association – Special Interest Group on Product Development in mentoring start-up software venture.
Maria Teresa F. Bayombong
Tess’s professional practice includes 25 years of solid experience in enterprise, economic development and microfinance sectors; held various senior management positions; led teams in program strategy development and implementation; and involvement in the highest level of organizational planning and management for achieving organizational viability. She has demonstrated capacity for effective financial and human resources management.
Her stint in CARE encompassed international posts in various countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Indonesia and Tanzania, including short-term assignments in Georgia in USA, Ottawa in Canada, Kenya and Cambodia. Prior to joining CARE, Tess spent ten years working in development programs of Ayala Foundation and Philippine Development Assistance Program (PDAP).
Tess combines her strong business orientation and long development program management experience. Her work approaches have emphasized pragmatic adaptations of academic knowledge, experiential learning and community practice in strengthening host country institutions and local capacities, and promoting and building viable social enterprises to address food security, household livelihood, and environmental protection/climate adaptation objectives.