Abel Masangkay’s journey at the Financial Times is a story of grit, purpose, and transformation. From his early days as a Marketing Executive with nothing but spreadsheets and determination, to becoming the first Marketing Operations Manager in Manila, Abel has consistently pushed boundaries and reshaped what leadership from afar can look like. Beyond driving impactful campaigns and processes, he’s built communities, championed inclusion, and proven that Filipino talent belongs at the forefront of global strategy. His story is not just about career growth—it’s about creating space for others, challenging norms, and showing what it means to lead with both ambition and heart.
Can you walk us through your journey at FT—from your early days as an executive to becoming the first Marketing Manager in Manila?
Seven years ago, there was this wide-eyed, driven guy (hi, it’s me) who applied at FT Manila for a Marketing Executive role, which was basically bootcamp with spreadsheets. During my interview, I asked HR one question that stuck with me ever since: “Do you have a Marketing Manager based here in Manila?” The answer was a straight-up no. The moment I heard it, I was challenged. Right there, I made a promise to myself and HR that I would be the first. Not just for the title, but to show what Filipino talent can do. To prove that distance from the headquarter doesn’t mean distance from impact. I wanted to advocate for Filipino labor and open doors for the next ones in line. I took up projects and learned the business. It was basically a crash course in global media, campaigns, and understanding the quirks of a 100+ year-old brand that still moves with digital-first energy. I soaked up knowledge like a sponge: campaign reporting, digital marketing, ad management, events, website management, email automation, list management, you name it. It was a grind, but I learned how the engine of FT marketing really runs.
As I became more confident (and vocal), I started leaning into ownership. I pushed for process improvements and optimized workflows. I was curious, experimental, and if I’m being honest, a bit allergic to "that’s how we’ve always done it." That restlessness paid off.
I wasn’t just doing the job. I was reshaping how the job could be done, especially from a Manila-based perspective. I began collaborating across time zones, advocating for better tooling, and speaking up in strategy calls. That visibility was key. Then came the big leap. I became the first-ever Marketing Operations Manager in the Manila office. No blueprint. No previous role-holder. Just a blank page and a big opportunity. I wasn’t just managing lists and campaigns anymore; I was managing impact. I took on cross-functional initiatives and helped ensure that the Manila team was seen as a core part of global strategy, not a satellite support function.
Along the way, I also co-led FT Proud, stepped up as a Mental Health First Aider, championed FT Wellbeing and started initiatives like the FT Manila Running Club and FT Drifters (dance group). My goal was simple: build a workplace that felt like a community and a career accelerator.
My job is part conductor, part therapist, part strategist, and honestly, I love it. FT has given me space to grow and challenge the status quo, and I’m still dreaming bigger.
What makes you most proud when you look at what your team or the Manila marketing function has accomplished?
Honestly? It’s that we stopped asking for a seat at the table and just started building our own. The progress of the Manila marketing function makes me proud to see how much they have perceived first as “support” and now has grown into a strategic powerhouse. Waiting for validation was never an option, and earning respect was always possible through high-quality deliverables, creative ideas, and proving leadership capabilities during execution.
We made space for ourselves and made it undeniable.
What makes me most proud isn’t just the metrics or the campaign success stories (though let’s be real, we’ve crushed those too). It’s the mindset shift. The Manila team is bold now. We speak up. We question. We bring the “why” into every project. And we do it while staying grounded in kindness, collaboration, and a culture that celebrates wins together.
I’m proud of how we’ve mentored each other, grown in confidence, and built something bigger than any one of us.
And the best part? We’re still hungry. We’re still evolving. This isn’t the finish line, it’s just proof that when you believe in your people and give them room to thrive, they’ll blow past expectations every single time. I’m proud and grateful that FT not only sees us but makes sure we feel that support. That’s what I’m proud of. That’s what keeps me showing up.
What advice would you give to someone in Manila who wants to lead, not just support?
Stop waiting for permission.
That’s the biggest one. If you want to lead, act like a leader before the title shows up on your email signature. Leadership isn’t a job grade, it’s a mindset. Own your work. Speak up in the rooms you’re in. Raise your hand for the hard stuff. And when you don’t know how to do something? Google it, ask around, learn fast, and show up anyway.
Don’t let geography define your value.
Just because you’re far from headquarters doesn’t mean you’re less strategic, less creative, or less worthy of a spotlight. Proximity is not power, visibility is. So make your work seen. Document wins. Share progress. Build relationships across time zones. People can’t vouch for what they don’t see.
Push back when needed. Respectfully, but unapologetically.
If something isn’t working or doesn’t make sense, say it. You are the expert in your local context. Your voice matters. Being agreeable doesn’t equal being valuable. Challenge ideas. Offer better ones. Be known for solutions, not silence.
Find your people.
Connect with everyone. Mentors, peers, community groups, internal networks, surround yourself with people who get it. People who lift while they climb. People who remind you that you’re not crazy for dreaming bigger.
And finally: remember your “why.”
Leading isn’t always glamorous. But when it gets tough, anchor yourself to your purpose. For me, it was always about representing Filipino talent on a global stage, proving we belong in strategic conversations, and making sure the next generation doesn’t have to fight the same battles.
If you want to lead, don’t wait for a door to open. Bring your own blueprint. Break the mold. And build something that makes it impossible to ignore you.
What do you hope your story inspires in others? especially colleagues who are still discovering their path here.
I hope my story shows that you don’t have to wait to be chosen. You can choose yourself. I didn’t start at FT with a fancy title or a roadmap laid out for me. I started with a spreadsheet, a challenge, and a whole lot of grit. And look, there were moments of doubt. There were days I felt invisible. But I kept showing up, because I believed in something bigger than the role. I believed in the impact I could make.
So if you’re someone still figuring it out, still wondering where you fit, whether you’re “ready,” whether you belong, this is me telling you: you do. And not just as support. You can lead. You can shake things up. You can rewrite the playbook entirely. You can take up space. You can challenge things. You can dream so loud that eventually, people have no choice but to listen.
More than anything, I hope my story inspires courage, the kind that pushes you to bet on yourself even when it feels like no one else is.
Because once you start believing in your potential, you stop asking “Can I do this?” and start asking “What can’t I do?
How do you help create a safe and inclusive space for others at work?
Creating a safe and inclusive space starts with how you show up. I make it a point to listen actively, call people in (not out), and make room for voices that often get overlooked. I say things like “What do you think?” and really mean it. Sometimes, inclusion is just giving someone the mic and letting them speak without interruption.
I don’t just advocate for safe spaces, I build them. Whether it’s running a workshop, raising
awareness, knowing the policies, checking in on a colleague, or sharing my own struggles vulnerably, I try to create a culture where people don’t feel like they have to “perform” to belong.
Inclusivity for me means recognizing that everyone brings something valuable to the table and making sure they know it. It means celebrating difference, not just tolerating it. It means normalising tough conversations, owning our blind spots, and growing together. And it means showing up with empathy every single day, even when no one’s watching. Because people remember how you made them feel.
What have been the biggest lessons or defining moments in your FT journey so far?
You can be working your heart out, but if no one knows what you’re doing, it’s easy to get
overlooked. One big lesson for me: advocate for your own work. Document wins. Speak up in global calls. Share learnings, even if they feel small. I learned how to build presence across time zones without being physically in the same room, and that changed everything.
Co-leading FT Proud, launching FT Manila Running Club and Drifters, supporting wellbeing efforts, these weren’t just “extra” projects. These were defining moments. They gave me purpose beyond metrics. They reminded me that creating community is just as impactful as hitting targets. Maybe more.
But I'm still learning, still stretching and still dreaming bigger. And if you’re in your own defining moment right now? Keep going. You won’t always see the impact in real time but trust me, it’s building something that matters.
FT's values are Ambition, Inclusion, Integrity, Curiosity, Trust and Subscriber Focused. In relation to your role at the FT which of these values speaks to you most and why?
Hands down, it’s Inclusion. And not just because I co-lead FT Proud, or champion mental health and wellbeing, or launched communities like the FT Manila Running Club and FT Drifters (although those absolutely matter). It’s because inclusion is the foundation of everything I try to do, in how I lead, how I build, how I show up.
In a global organisation like the Financial Times, where decisions often happen across time zones and cultures, inclusion is what makes sure everyone has a voice, even if they’re not in the “main office” or the loudest in the room.
Inclusion isn’t just about who’s invited, it’s about who feels like they belong once they’re in the room. I check in with quieter folks. I make sure people across levels and locations feel empowered to contribute, not just execute.
Inclusion is the value that holds the others together. It fuels trust. It drives ambition. It demands integrity. It sparks curiosity. And it absolutely impacts how we serve our subscribers.
Because if we want to reflect the world we report on, we need to reflect it internally too.
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