But no matter how successful the company has proved to be, Sy's children realize that their all-in-the-family management style is becoming outdated. Like so many of Asia's big business clans, a generational shift and the stresses of running an increasingly complex company are forcing the insular Sys to open up more and more to outsiders. "For my father, the organization is the family," says Sy's eldest daughter, Teresita Sy-Coson, whom the family calls "Tessie." But "in the future, you'll see more professional managers," she adds.
Although Henry Sy, Sr. wants to go slow on hiring outsiders, since kin can be counted on for their loyalty after all, the business has simply become too large for just a few people to manage.