By: Andrea Suarez, ACMobility
Carla, together with her team, after the ACMobility’s launch of PH’s fastest EV Chargers yet
For Carla Buencamino, the journey to leading the country’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network has been anything but a straight path.
Carla started in the Ayala Group more than 25 years ago when she joined Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI). There, she worked for the first time on automotive and charging station manufacturing projects and explored early partnerships to build EV charging stations. Along the way, she found herself navigating the Ayala ecosystem, spotting opportunities to bring different teams together. One of her first wins was connecting a manufacturing client with Ayala Land to install the group’s very first EV charging stations long before ACMobility was born. Her ability to shift gears and unite different units within the group made her a natural fit to drive ACMobility’s vision. In 2023, she joined the company as Head of Mobility Infrastructure.
“What I ended up doing was to continue what we started. It’s not starting from scratch—it’s building on what we already had. The challenge for me then was how do I take that and lead it towards ACMobility’s strategic goals.”
Today, ACMobility’s EV charging network is an example of synergy within the Ayala Group. Its charger installations sit on properties of Ayala Land. To power these facilities, it relies on renewable energy from ACEN. It also counts on BPI to enable payments and financing to make EVs more accessible. GCash, meanwhile, facilitates digital payments. Globe provides connectivity that makes charging possible. Evro, meanwhile, serves as the platform that offers users a unified and seamless charging experience across the network.
“With its diverse portfolio, the Ayala Group is well-positioned to support the development of the country’s burgeoning EV ecosystem,” Carla says. “We are actively working with all of them because every company within the Ayala Group presents an opportunity for collaboration,” she added.
A pioneer in the country’s EV infrastructure space, ACMobility is leveraging such synergy as its anchor while navigating the largely uncharted territory—one where policies and regulations are still evolving, creating both challenges and opportunities to shape the market.
“We are moving in a space where there’s a measure of uncertainty,” Carla says. “Being a first mover lets us redefine the whole experience and, at the same time, tackle industry pain points head-on. In a way, we are learning on behalf of the industry.”
In such an environment, synergy becomes a strategic advantage: “We benefit from the diverse thinking of the different teams, leveraging from distinct expertise. This allows us to be imaginative and execute with confidence.”
Carla also shares how synergy helps them do more. Because Ayala’s business units are closely tied, opportunities for partnerships naturally present themselves. It really helps that Ayala’s leadership encourages its different companies to work together where and when possible. Management support fosters open communication andl collaboration across the group. As a result, initiatives move much faster and make far greater impact, even without a massive manpower.
Carla, with her team and artist Professor Toym Imao, after ACMobility’s launch of charging stations and mural at UP Town Center
While Ayala’s ecosystem gave ACMobility its head start, Carla knew that the path to building a truly nationwide network can’t be traveled alone. Redefining mobility in the country, she explains, means opening doors to partners beyond the group. “Leveraging the Ayala Group was our initial strategy,” she says. “The next step is to apply what we’ve learned and bring other parties involved to scale up.”
Today, Carla and her team are working hand-in-hand with several property developers and Shell to bring charging stations closer to more Filipinos. There are also more collaborations in the pipeline.
For Carla, these partnerships aren’t just about infrastructure—they’re about people coming together with a shared goal.
“Partnering with others allows us to tap into resources that we might not readily have. And our partners recognize the value we can create together. That’s how they get onboard,” she says.
At its core, synergy is more than just operational alignment–it’s shared thinking and co-creation.
Carla with her team and Power-on-Wheels, ACMobility’s mobile electric vehicle charging station
“It really is a catalyst,” Carla says. “It’s not just ACMobility saying ‘we want to do this.’ There’s undeniable value in ideating together. They give us input, and it makes our ideas that much more practicable.”
Such inspiration and ideas can come from anywhere, may it be training sessions, team building activities, or even casual meetups, she says.
“Sometimes you walk into a meeting not knowing what’s possible and what surprises you is you end up leaving with great ideas, more than what you expected. A lot of them come from different perspectives.”
For Carla, it’s Ayala’s collaborative culture that makes these connections possible.
“When people get together, it creates opportunities to build relationships across the group. It’s great practice for collaboration.”
Carla with her team getting together after hours
