Richard Cruz is a registered chemist who graduated from the Central Luzon State University in Munoz, Nueva Ecija. He is also a graduate of the Management Development Program (MDP) from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). He is the current Vice President of Safety, Health, Environment and Security (SHES) of Aboitiz Power, one of the Philippine’s largest power producers and the country’s leading provider of renewable energy. In his current role, he is mainly responsible for maintaining and transforming SHES systems for the safety and welbeing of more than 3,000 employees, around 4,700 contractors, the environment and communities where the company operates in, while developing programs that contribute to the company’s thrust for sustainability.
Prior to being in the power industry, Richard served 13 years in the country’s leading cement manufacturer, Holcim Philippines where he started out as a laboratory engineer, establishing a laboratory testing regime for alternative fuels and raw materials that are substituted for traditional coal fuel which greatly reduces green house gas emissions. He later took on roles in health and safety where he eventually became the Vice President for Health, Safety, Environment and Security. During his term, the company attained 3 years without a single on-site work related fatality, around 32 million kilometers of zero road-related fatalities and unprecendented achievements in the field of health and safety. He also served as the chairman of the Cement Manufacturing Association of the Philippine’s (CEMAP) Sub-Committee on Health and Safety and Holcim Philippine’s Country Resilience Lead, helping the company navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting the health of about 6,000 employees and contractors. He also has extensive experience in the testing and assurance space, having previously worked as a laboratory supervisor for SGS, Subic Bay Inc., where he gained valuable know-how of the chemical properties of petroleum products.
Over the course of his career, Richard has attained international and local certifications such as the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), International General Certificate in Health and Safety, International Safety Rating System (ISRS) auditing and Certified Security Professional.
Vice President of Safety, Health, Environment and Security (SHES), Aboitiz Power
