At the 37th Floor

2023
Photographic print on canvas
99.06 x 99.06 cm (each)

This set of four collages celebrates four women leaders who were members of Ayala Corporation’s founding family, namely, Mercedes Zóbel McMicking, Trinidad de Ayala y Roxas, Carmen de Ayala y Roxas, and Margarita Roxas de Ayala. Their portraits are surrounded by objects, and photographs from Ayala’s archival collections that allude to their individual contribution to business and society.

Mercedes Zóbel McMicking (1907-2005) was a fifth generation partner of Ayala y Compañía. Together with her husband Col. Joseph McMicking, she co-founded Filipinas Foundation (precursor of Ayala Foundation) in 1961, to support scientific and social research and initiate projects in education, community development, and arts and culture.

Trinidad de Ayala y Roxas (1855-1918), sister of Carmen, is a third generation managing partner of Ayala y Compañía. Trinidad was married to Jacobo Zóbel y Zangróniz, whose family founded Botica Zobel (bottom-right photo). Trinidad took over active management of Ayala after Jacobo relinquished his role in business.

Carmen de Ayala y Roxas (1846-1930), second daughter of Antonio and Margarita Roxas de Ayala and sister of Trinidad, was a managing partner of Ayala y Compañía from 1891 to 1913. Carmen was married to Pedro Pablo Roxas, who owned vast agricultural estates and was instrumental in the rise of San Miguel Brewery. After Pedro passed away in 1912, she also managed his own investments in addition to Ayala y Cía.

Margarita Roxas de Ayala (1815-1869) was a second generation partner of the enterprise co-founded by her father Domingo Roxas and her spouse Antonio de Ayala. Together with her brothers José Bonifacio and Mariano, she led the partnership’s early investments in agriculture and distillery. She was also renowned for her charity and philanthropy, exemplified by her founding of a school for girls, La Concordia (bottom-left photo), which exists to this day.