Ayala Group’s Paco Milan takes us into his kitchen, reminisces about his childhood in Andalusia, and introduces his daughter Isabelita. Plus, he shares his special paella recipe

Hogar in Spanish means the heart of a home. Ayala group Chief HR Adviser and HR Council Head CHRO Paco Milan, who hails from Spain, expounds on this particular word: “it evokes fire and warmth in the kitchen, the most important part of the house.” Paco has always loved to cook, and share meals with loved ones. His earliest memories of his childhood spent in his hometown Andalusia, a coastal region in Southern Spain, were of days peeling potatoes, and learning culinary basics from his mother and grandmother. “For my family, cooking was a bonding activity.”

When Paco rolls up the sleeves of his trademark gusot mayaman barong, and gets into the joy of cooking and having good food with family and friends, it can be easy to mistake him for a Filipino. In both Filipino and Spanish cultures, the same delight in bonding over food is shared with loved ones can be found.

“I would text my wife before going home and I would say: ‘What do you want to eat?’ and I would then shop for the ingredients, cook, and pre-select what bottle of wine we are going to open. And I like to plan for the evening; now that we have a little girl, we don’t get to have a lot of time for each other, so we try to get quality time. And on Saturdays, we try to spend time with the family and go for a walk and walk with Kuya Benito, our dog. If it was the last day I had on earth, I’d probably be cooking for the people I love.”

Spanish-Pinoy Twist

Aside from being a foodie, Paco also gives importance to family and personal relationships, understands the power of expressing empathy and sincerely connecting with others, and creates rituals around these principles. This is a trait that his colleagues have pointed out as a perfect combination of Spanish and Filipino worldviews. “I think there’s wisdom and beauty in things that are repeated over centuries for a reason. Even if sometimes we forget why we do things, there’s a reason why things are done over the centuries, and why things get curated over the century,” Paco explains.

This deep respect for heritage and tradition can come as a rare outlook for an 39-year-old executive, whose generation is usually associated with being fixated on the latest innovation or technology, having instant access to everything, or constantly chasing after what’s new and trendy. Being the youngest member of the Ayala group management committee, Paco is both forward looking, and respectful of the group’s roots and shared culture across the businesses. He shares: “I feel honored. Being given this role is a great responsibility, and I do not take it lightly. This trust has strengthened even more my commitment and engagement towards the company and towards each of our colleagues at Ayala. You all can count on my support and on my pledge to serve you all, to ensure that Ayala remains to be the best organization for us to enrich our careers and our lives, and develop as individuals.”