Charmaine Valmonte

When Charmaine Valmonte speaks about cybersecurity, she draws on lessons learned far from corporate boardrooms. As a US Army Major and signals officer, she spent two decades ensuring troops could communicate securely across deserts, mountains, and conflict zones. Now, as Chief Information Security Officer at Aboitiz Equity Ventures, she applies that military experience to protect one of Southeast Asia’s largest conglomerates.

“I spent 21 years in the US Army providing telecommunications, data and voice to our troops wherever we deployed,” she says. “The technology has changed, but the principles remain consistent - understand your environment, adapt to changing conditions and protect critical assets.”

Charmaine’s transition from military to corporate security paralleled the evolution of the field itself. “We started in information security around 2001-2004. Back then it wasn't known as cybersecurity,” she explains. This period marked the beginning of her focus on digital defence, as military communications increasingly faced cyber threats.

At Aboitiz, Charmaine faces the challenge of securing a century-old conglomerate during its transformation into a technology company. The organisation spans 44 business units across power generation, banking, manufacturing and infrastructure. Each sector now integrates artificial intelligence and data science into its operations, creating new security requirements.

Her military background shapes her approach to corporate security. “You need to be fast-paced in this industry because every day organisations pivot, change direction, or technology continues to evolve,” she notes. “We liken it to changing the tyre while the car is moving.”

Under her leadership, Aboitiz has shifted from system-centric to data-centric security. “Previously, we thought of security in terms of how many systems you have and where you store your data,” explains Charmaine. “But when you flip that story over, you're using data versus systems because at the centre of everything is data points.”

This approach has produced measurable results. In financial services, AI models detect fraudulent accounts with 86% accuracy. The security team uses behavioural analysis to identify suspicious activities, automatically restricting access when users deviate from established patterns.

The transformation of a century-old conglomerate into a technology-driven enterprise requires methodical execution balanced with willingness to experiment. “The only way to survive is to really transform,” says Charmaine. “You're moving away from analogue systems, implementing AI and robotics, understanding how to utilise new technology across traditional sectors.”

For Aboitiz, this transformation manifests in concrete metrics: 86% accuracy in fraud detection, contracts for three new airports, progress toward 50% renewable energy capacity. Yet the technical implementations remain secondary to cultural change.

“The main goal is to align technology initiatives with organisational objectives,” explains Charmaine. “We need to foster resilience while enabling growth.” This balance between security and innovation shapes the company's approach to digital transformation.

The security team’s military-derived expertise proves relevant to corporate digital defence. “In both contexts, you need to understand your environment, adapt to changing conditions, and protect critical assets,” notes Charmaine. “The technology changes, but the principles remain consistent.”

Aboitiz’s experience demonstrates how traditional enterprises can leverage technology to create new value. The company’s strategy of treating technology as a core capability rather than a support function offers a model for other organisations navigating digital transformation.

“We see technology as a means to advance business and communities,” Charmaine concludes. “The challenge lies in securing that advancement while maintaining the trust of our stakeholders.”

To read the full article in the magazine, click HERE.

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