Prior to his appointment as country head, Ronald Roda was chief operating officer of Grab Philippines. Aside from leading the GrabCar business for over six years, he also led Grab’s efforts in expanding its reach from eight cities to over 200 cities in the Philippines since 2018.
Grab Philippines recently announced a leadership progression that saw Ronald Roda and Grace Vera Cruz take on expanded responsibilities in the company. Roda assumed the role of country head, while Grace Vera Cruz – who has led Grab Philippines for the past four years – has moved into a regional position as head of regional corporate strategy. This planned succession is part of Grab’s commitment to nurturing talent and demonstrates the depth of Filipino leadership in the organization.
Ronald Roda was most recently chief operating officer of Grab Philippines and has led the GrabCar business for over six years. Under his leadership, Grab expanded its reach from 8 cities to over 200 cities in the Philippines since 2018, making Grab’s services accessible to millions more Filipinos.
Sustainable leadership
During the pandemic, when the GrabCar business was temporarily shut down, Ronald adapted swiftly to sustain business operations and transforming it into a more reliable and affordable service post-pandemic. Additionally, Ronald has played a crucial role to create over 72,000 livelihood opportunities in the first half of 2024, bringing the total to over 270,000 since 2023. This is in line with the company’s commitment to the Philippine government of creating 500,000 livelihood opportunities over the next five years.
“I am honored to take on the role of Country Head for Grab Philippines, and I am committed to continuing the great work and building on the strong relationships established under Grace’s leadership,” said Roda. “My goal is to continue making Grab a true partner for growth, providing innovative solutions that benefit Filipinos across the nation. Together, we will further enhance the quality of life for our consumers and driver-partners, and strengthen the pathways for success for our MSMEs and corporate partners.”
Before joining Grab, Ronald held key leadership roles at prominent companies such as Indosat (Indonesia), Accenture (ASEAN), and Globe Telecom where he consistently drove strategic initiatives and business growth.
Smooth transition
Former country head Grace Vera Cruz, on the other hand, steps into a regional role as Head of Regional Corporate Strategy.
She will continue to be based in the Philippines in her regional capacity, to ensure a smooth transition and operational continuity. “I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support, collaboration, trust, and openness from all our partners and stakeholders who have believed in Grab’s success during my tenure,” said Vera Cruz.
