Andrés Roxas Soriano Sr. (born Andrés Soriano y Roxas; February 8, 1898 – December 30, 1964[1]) was a Spanish Filipino industrialist. Described by The New York Times in 1964 as "one of the most dominant business personalities in the western Pacific area,"[2] he was best known for expanding the original San Miguel Brewery evolving into San Miguel Corporation.
He also established philanthropies and encouraged good employee relations by sharing profits with his more than 16,000 employees by establishing a pension plan that paid retired employees 25% of their salary, with guaranteed sick leaves and medical benefits. He was the founder of Philippine Airlines, Asia's first air carrier. In 1935, during Commonwealth era, Soriano established Commonwealth Insurance Company, a non-life insurance company.
Family
Soriano was born on February 8, 1898, in San Miguel, Manila, Philippines. His father, Don Eduardo Soriano Sanz, was a Spanish engineer who migrated to the Philippines in the late 19th century.