Eusebio ‘Yosi’ Tanco, 75, is called the Renaissance Man for a number of reasons.
With some 40 companies to his name, his passions are probably as diverse as his business exposures—ranging from education, logistics, public relations, entertainment, gaming, financing and a whole lot more.
He is also described as the “modern man” who is not afraid to try anything new that tickles his imagination, shaped with the expansive confluence of technology and social media.
According to his most trusted friend and business partner for nearly half a century, lawyer Nick Jacob, Tanco has “an eternal curiosity for things new, untried and untested. He keeps his ears to the ground and is abreast with what is happening in the business world.”
It may even be said that Yosi is claustrophobic because he never cherished staying long in his room, be it the bedroom or the boardroom.
“For dad, it’s all about having a meaningful and adventurous life,” daughter Vanessa Tanco-Reyes said.
Tanco loves staying out with friends. He enjoys traveling—and learning—with other people.
At home, though, he dotes on grandchildren Chiara Rose and Lucas by son Jaeger.
Tanco began his epic journey to becoming a business tycoon as a behind-the-scene stockbroker in the STI Group.
But he was eventually asked to help manage the school system which was encountering financial difficulties at the time. With the proceeds from the sale of his textile firm, Tanco decided to buy out his co-owners and took the driver’s seat of the STI Education Systems Holdings, catering mostly to senior high school and college students.
Tanco powered his conglomerate to great heights with the help of Jaeger and Vanessa.
His Group of Companies gave birth to multiple subsidiaries such as Stitch Tech Solutions, the public relations outfit Comm&Sense and PhilCare, reputedly a trailblazer in the health maintenance sector.
“With my dad, you’ll be surprised at how he remains up to date with trends and innovations. Some would be surprised that he has ventures on tech and data. During the pandemic, we started with Stitch Tech Solutions, an IT firm that empowers MSMEs through Data Science and Cloud Computing,” Jaeger narrated.
Tanco, among other top positions, is chairman of STI Education Systems Holdings, the DigiPlus Interactive that runs online gaming platform BingoPlus, and president of Philippine First Insurance and port operator Asian Terminals Inc.
Tanco, both as a person and a corporate top executive, is a down-to-earth, no-frills, hands-on manager.
With his $1.2-billion net worth as listed in Forbes, he can definitely have the fancies clothes money could buy on earth. But lo and behold, he is more comfortable with simple shirts, jeans, and sneakers—giving him an approachable and friendly outlook that even strangers admire.
Vanessa dropped broad hints that his dad is virtually a chip off the old block.
The patriarch, Agustin Tanco, also known by the cognomen “was fondly remembered by many for his kindness and humility,” Vanessa recalled. He touched so many people’s lives. He was always welcoming and sincere. I think Dad also got the very same vibe from my grandpa,“ she added.
In a manner of speaking, Tanco came into the business world adequately prepared. He graduated in Economics and Political Science from the Ateneo de Manila University, then went to London for his post-graduate studies.
