IMaverick International Corp. Managing Director Ric Vincent Atienza calls himself an “accidental” entrepreneur.
The De La Salle University (DLSU) Accountancy graduate was at the top of his game when Bisazza Philippines’s top management announced in 2012 it will close its local operations as part of its global restructuring program.
After stints with SGV and Fila, Atienza joined Italian firm Bisazza, which maintained a unit in the Philippines to serve its Far East region market. Bisazza is the global leader in glass mosaic application and the only luxury brand on its industry.
Atienza, a certified public accountant and holder of a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the DLSU, was also part of the team that went around in China to set up another Bisazza assembly operation.
Realizing the effect of the decision to shut down Bisazza’s Philippine unit to the employees, Atienza took the big leap—he bought the company and took over the ownership and operation of Bisazza in the Philippines at the age of 40. “I want to prove that I am committed to the company,” Atienza said in a recent interview with the BusinessMirror.
“As a nationalist, I wanted to promote the welfare of Filipinos. I felt bad for the workers who will be displaced when the company closes its Philippine operations,” Atienza added.
With the same operational setup, business address and group of people, Atienza established iMaverick International Corp. (iMIC). It became Bisazza’s exclusive distributor of all Bisazza products in the Philippines.
An amusing twist happened when Bisazza’s top brass contacted Atienza less than six months later. He was asked to help the company in managing Bisazza China. At the end of his one-month temporary management of Bisazza China’s production and operation, Atienza pointed out that he was able to provide the company with vital inputs that led to significant changes on Bisazza’s global policy of managing and controlling operations overseas.
With sheer integrity and competency as his capital of acquiring the Bisazza operation in the Philippines, Atienza set another milestone in less than a year when he acquired in early 2013 the Kitchen Studio (KC).
Atienza said he was able to convince its founder Raphael Calero to let iMIC carry KC products, not only in exclusively marketing and distributing the KS brand, but also in manufacturing it, although still under the product design and quality supervision of its founder.
At present, Atienza has expanded his company’s reach from the production and distribution of high-end finishing materials to becoming the most-trusted expert in installation and fit-out in the domestic and international markets.
Despite marketing a luxury brand, Atienza lives a simple life, which he developed from his early life in Baler where he spent his elementary days.
“I live a simple life, like an ordinary office manager that can mingle with all people from all walks of life. My taste for food, car, where to eat, clothing, accessories and gadgets are simple despite being surrounded by clients and friends in the industry who live in luxury,” he said.
His leadership and management skills were recognized when the iMaverick was chosen as one of the grand finalists in the 2013 Asia CEO Award’s Ford Quality Company of the Year Category along with HP, CJ, Fluor and Schneider Electric.
Now that he has passed the accidental stage, Atienza plans to solidify his reputation as a catalyst of economic development. He plans to pursue this by expanding the company.
“From a P67-million company in 2014, my goal is to grow it to P1 billion to create more opportunities for our people,” he said.
1 comment
How I wish, UPians ganiyan din ang takbo ng utak. You are the real nationalist. Not the stupid LEFTIST UPIAN ACTIVIST.