Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines admits four new partners
Roderick Danao, Chairman and Senior Partner of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the global PwC network, proudly announces the admission of four new partners—all certified public accountants (CPAs)—with effect from 1 July 2023.
Danao states: “Isla Lipana & Co. begins its next 100 years with expansion on all fronts, starting with its leadership team. The partnership warmly receives Assurance Partners Rose Dale (Dale) Machitar-Ando and Michael (Mike) Castañeda, and Deals and Corporate Finance Partners Karen Patricia (Trissy) Rogacion and Darwin Saribay. They join the rest of the partners in bringing together the best of our people and technology, as we continue to build trust and create sustainable outcomes. We have been investing in capabilities, to serve the increasing and evolving demands of our clients and broader stakeholders.”
Dale Machitar-Ando will lead the operations of the firm’s Cebu office, where she has been based since rejoining the firm 14 years ago. Her local statutory and integrated audit experience covers diverse sectors such as business process outsourcing (BPO), manufacturing, retail, hospitality and leisure, real estate, and financial services. Dale was a member of the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and the Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice (ACPAPP). She is also a Past President of the Financial Executives Institute of Cebu, Inc. An advocate of empowering entrepreneurs, Dale mentors local SMEs on Entrepreneurial Accounting and Financial Management under different public and private sector programs. Dale graduated Cum Laude from Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy.
Mike Castañeda will bring in his unique industry expertise to our growing Energy, Utilities and Resources (EUR) practice in our Assurance business unit. He has over 15 years audit experience in industries such as energy, oil and gas, mining, construction, logistics, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, retail and consumer, and BPO. Mike has performed integrated audits under Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act and the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (J-SOX), and coordinated various shared service audits. He completed his two-year international secondment assignment in PwC Australia’s Brisbane office and a short-term assignment in Zurich, Switzerland. He was a member of the Quality Audit Review Team that assessed the firm’s compliance with PwC global standards. He held office at PICPA’s Eastern Metro Manila Chapter and is currently an Audit Committee member. Mike finished Cum Laude at the University of La Salette in Santiago City, Isabela with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy.
Trissy Rogacion will take charge of the M&A and corporate finance practice. She has over 15 years of combined experience in corporate finance, investment banking, financial audit and financial due diligence. She has worked on local and cross-border M&A deals, and on fund and capital raising transactions such as debt and equity issuances. Trissy is part of PwC Asia Pacific’s Deal Origination Team, as well as Venture Hub Philippines, the firm’s team that works closely with tech startups and investors. She helps lead PwC Philippines’ NextGen Club, an initiative for the next generation of family business leaders, and the firm’s projects with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism, National Development Company and the Management Association of the Philippines. She started her career in audit, and shifted to advisory after two years when she joined the financial due diligence team. After a brief stint in an investment banking company, Trissy rejoined PwC Philippines. She graduated from De La Salle University Manila with Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Economics and Accountancy.
Darwin Saribay will lead the growing valuations practice of the firm. He has 12 years of combined experience in advisory and assurance services. His specializations include business enterprise and equity valuations for M&A transactions; financial reporting valuations (including purchase price allocation); intellectual property valuations; goodwill impairment testing; and derivative contracts valuations. Darwin is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) Charterholder. He earned his Executive MBA degree at the Asian Institute of Management with High Distinction. He has completed the academic requirements for the M.S. in Financial Engineering program at DLSU Manila. Darwin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy, Magna Cum Laude from Tomas Del Rosario College, Balanga City, Bataan. He placed third in the 2011 CPA Board Examinations.
PwC is a network of firms in 152 countries with over 327,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines has rendered professional services in the country for 101 years.
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