Carla Aquino Ong: Building With Purpose, Leading With Conviction

The global healthcare landscape is shifting at an unprecedented pace—reshaped by innovation, data, and a growing commitment to patient-centered care. Yet beyond the science and strategy, it is leadership that ultimately determines how meaningfully these advancements reach people’s lives.

For Carla Aquino Ong, Country Group Head of Wellesta Philippines, leadership has never been just about growth metrics or market expansion. It has always been about building teams, trust, and a shared sense of purpose.

Under Carla’s leadership, the company has introduced innovative healthcare solutions that connect global advancements with local needs—from cutting-edge handheld ultrasound technology to advanced wound care products.

With over two decades in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Carla’s journey reflects not only professional progression, but a deepening understanding of what it takes to lead in an industry where decisions carry real human impact.

Take us through the early years of your professional journey.

My career began in 2003 at Roche Philippines. It was a foundational time for me, since it did not just shape my technical expertise, but also grounded my values. It was where I truly understood the realities of healthcare.

You see beyond the Wellesta Philippines you see patients, families, and the importance of doing things with integrity. Those early years immersed me in the complexities of the healthcare system, providing a front-row view of both its challenges and its potential.

Gradually transitioning into marketing roles, I discovered a new dimension of leadership—one that required balancing strategy with empathy, and performance with people.

It was also a time of personal growth. Building a career while nurturing my personal life taught me resilience and perspective qualities that would later define my leadership style.

My approach to leadership is not defined by authority, but by trust. Not by hierarchy, but by connection. And not just by results, but by the people who make those results possible

What have been some of the most defining roles throughout your career journey?

The regional assignment in Hong Kong expanded my worldview, exposing me to diverse markets and leadership approaches. It challenged me to think beyond local contexts and embrace a more global, collaborative mindset. This continued as I moved to Boehringer Ingelheim as Head of Specialty business unit for five years.

Later, as Head of the Oncology Business Unit at AstraZeneca during the COVID-19 pandemic, I led a team of professionals through one of the most uncertain periods in recent history. It wasn’t just about performance; it was about keeping the team grounded, motivated, and aligned, even when everything around us was changing.

These experiences reinforced a key belief: leadership is tested most in moments of uncertainty.

Coming on-board Wellesta, what new challenges did the role bring with it? How have you contributed to building Wellesta to become more than just a business?

Joined Wellesta in 2021, I stepped into a very different kind of challenge. The company was in its infancy— few people, a vision, and the ambition to grow. There was no established structure, no large teams, no ready blueprint. What existed instead was an opportunity to build something meaningful from the ground up.

The first priority was people. We needed to find individuals who not only had the right capabilities but also believed in what we were trying to build.

I never viewed recruitment as just about filling roles. Instead, it was about shaping culture, bringing together individuals who could grow with the organization and contribute to a shared vision.

As the team expanded, so did the company’s ambitions. From an initial focus on dermatology, Wellesta Philippines evolved into a multi-business unit organization spanning consumer health, ethical pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

What key challenges did you encounter in your leadership journey? How did address said challenges?

One of the most difficult aspects of leadership has been making decisions that affect both business outcomes and people’s lives. Every decision carries weight. You think about the direction of the company, but you also think about your team—their growth, their stability, their trust in you.

Building the right leadership team was one of the most critical and challenging steps. It required discernment, patience, and, at times, difficult choices.

At the same time, establishing credibility in a market dominated by multinational pharmaceutical giants re­quired persistence and clarity of vision. Through strong compliance practices and active engagement with in­dustry bodies like the Pharmaceutical Healthcare As­sociation of the Philippines (PHAP), Wellesta steadily earned its place within the healthcare ecosystem.

How do you foresee the Asian healthcare landscape evolving?

As Asia’s healthcare landscape continues to evolve, collaboration will emerge as the defining force of the future.

In the Philippines, progress toward universal healthcare is creating new opportunities to expand access, particularly in critical areas such as oncology and rare diseases. However, meaningful change will require alignment across all stakeholders.

No single organization can do it alone. It takes partnership—between government, private sector, and healthcare providers, to truly move the needle.

Looking back, what has been your guiding philosophy for success? What is your vision for the future?

The central foundation of my journey rests on ‘purpose’. My family has been a constant anchor—instilling in me the values of dedication, humility, and perseverance. These values continue to shape how I lead today.

My approach to leadership is not defined by authori­ty, but by trust. Not by hierarchy, but by connection. And not just by results, but by the people who make those results possible.

As Wellesta Philippines continues to grow, I remain focused on my initial goal, to build something that lasts, something that matters, and something that makes a difference.

Carla Aquino Ong, Country Group Head, Wellesta Philippines

A graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University, she has been in the healthcare industry for 20 years. As Country Group Head of Wellesta Philippines, she leads operations across consumer health, ethical pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, driving strategic growth and organizational development. She has played a pivotal role in building Wellesta Philippines into a multi-business unit organization, anchored in innovation, people development, and long-term impact.