Maricar Cristobal Parco considers herself fortunate that she has someone to look up to as she leads the Peugeot brand in the Philippines and inspires her people to excel. “I advise young women not to be discouraged by the idea that the auto industry is only for men. The landscape is changing, and the auto industry is no longer a man’s game. Today, you see women leading the charge for global brands. Take for instance Linda Jackson, who leads Peugeot as CEO. It is what we bring to the table that defines us, not our gender.”
Parco herself is a model of success worthy of emulation by anyone rising from the ranks. She joined the auto industry a mere two months after graduating with a Communications Arts degree from UP-Diliman. Now, after 31 years in the industry, Parco has amassed a wealth of experience from various auto brands.
She started at Honda Cars Philippines Inc in 1992, initially as a marketing associate, moving up to corporate communications manager. In 1998, she joined Ford Group Philippines as AVP for public affairs and marketing. She then joined BMW in 2004 as marketing VP with Prestige Cars BMW Makati, then moving up to marketing director and eventually being president in 2011 with Asian Carmakers Corp. She then became president at SMAC BMW, and president at RSA Motors BMW.
In 2019, she became Peugeot brand head with Eurobrands Distributors Inc. In 2022, she became Peugeot brand head with Astara Philippines.
The secret to her staying power? “I simply enjoy what I do. The industry is very dynamic. There’s always something new—new products, new technologies, and even people. When I started out, the auto industry was relatively small with only a few players. So, we all knew each other, worked together and supported each other in growing the industry. Today, many of us have become life-long friends. That’s what I value most—the camaraderie and friendships made.”
She added: “I have been privileged to be part of organizations that value people and diversity. I’ve been given the opportunity to hone my skills through countless training programs and more importantly guided by the best mentors in the industry, which prepared me to face the challenges and tasks at hand.”
Parco was born and raised in Manila by parents who were both dentists. Her only brother works in the motorcycle industry.
Parco is as excited about developments in automotive technologies as much as the prospects of women in tomorrow’s workplaces. “I see interesting times ahead in the motoring world and for mobility in general. We will see a lot of changes in the mobility landscape in the next decade as people are given a plethora of choices—from vehicle makes, energy mix (hybrids/EVs/ICEs), and even in terms of utilization and ownership (lease, subscriptions, car sharing). This follows the ever-changing needs of our customers that we need to keep up with. Astara is leading in this space, and we are excited to be part of this shift in the future. And in that future, I hope more women will lead the exploration of new areas of mobility.”
Maricar Cristobal Parco is Brand head of Peugeot Philippines/Astara Philippines and former President, BMW Philippines
