Before Martin Zamora became president and CEO of Nickel Asia, one of the Philippines’ largest mining companies, he made a deliberate decision early in his career: he wanted to master the financial side of business.
While many future executives focus on operations or strategy, Zamora believed that finance and accounting are the fundamental tools of leadership.
“When I was in college, I felt I didn’t learn enough about finance and accounting,” Zamora says.
The realization came while he was still studying. Although he understood the importance of management and leadership, he believed that without financial knowledge, it would be difficult to run a company effectively.
“I always thought that it would be difficult to run a business or be in a top role in any company if you don’t have the tools—the finance and accounting tools.”
For Zamora, those tools were not optional. They were essential.
After graduating from college, he made a decision that would shape his career path. Instead of immediately joining the family business, he chose to begin his professional journey in finance.
“So right after college, I joined SGV and Company in the corporate finance department.”
SGV & Co., one of the Philippines’ leading professional services firms, is known for training generations of accountants, investment professionals, and corporate leaders. Zamora spent about three years there, gaining exposure to financial analysis, corporate finance, and deal structures.
Working in that environment allowed him to see how companies evaluate investments, manage financial risks, and structure transactions.
But he did not stop there.
After SGV, Zamora moved into investment banking, joining Jardine Fleming, which at the time was one of Asia’s prominent financial institutions.
“I spent about three years there, and then I joined an investment bank. At that time, it was called Jardine Fleming.”
Investment banking provided a different perspective on business. Instead of focusing on internal financial management, the role exposed him to capital markets, corporate strategy, and investor expectations.
It also helped him understand how companies raise capital and how financial markets evaluate businesses.
Zamora later decided to deepen his understanding of business further by pursuing graduate studies abroad.
“I went to business school. I took my MBA in London—London Business School.”
After completing his MBA, he returned to the investment banking industry, joining a firm associated with former finance secretary Cesar “Buboy” Virata. That firm would later become part of CLSA, a major investment group in Asia.
“And after that, I returned to the firm… That investment bank eventually became CLSA.”
Looking back, Zamora’s early career reflects a strategic decision that many leaders overlook: before managing a company, he wanted to understand how businesses are evaluated financially.
His experience across corporate finance, investment banking, and global business education gave him exposure to the financial mechanics behind major corporate decisions—from capital raising to valuation and strategic investments.
This foundation would later prove valuable when he eventually joined Nickel Asia.
Many executives discover the importance of financial literacy only after they assume leadership roles. By then, they must rely heavily on finance teams to interpret the numbers for them.
Zamora took the opposite approach.
By intentionally building his expertise in finance early in his career, he ensured that when he eventually stepped into leadership positions, he could understand not just the strategy of a company—but also the financial realities behind it.
His experience highlights an important lesson for aspiring business leaders.
Leadership is often associated with vision, strategy, and decision-making. But behind those decisions are numbers—cash flows, investments, returns, and risks.
Understanding those numbers can make the difference between managing a business and truly leading it.
