Advances in AI Adoption and Data-Driven Capabilities Accelerate in the Philippines, but Talent Gaps Threaten Momentum, Aon Study Finds

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 1 July 2026 - Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today released findings for the Philippines from its inaugural Human Capital Trends Study, highlighting a workforce at a key moment of change.

Organisations in the Philippines are accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and investing in data-driven capabilities, supported by strong participation in upskilling programmes. However, limited availability of AI talent, underdeveloped pay transparency practices and a widening gap between employee expectations and workplace experience continue to shape workforce outcomes.

AI Adoption Accelerates

According to the study, the Philippines is keeping pace with global AI adoption with 72 percent of organisations having already deployed AI or piloting programmes, signalling continued progress in how organisations are adopting and applying AI. This progress is supported by continued investment in workforce development, with 94 percent of organisations expecting AI to create new roles and reshape skill requirements.

However, only 17 percent of organisations say they can recruit and retain enough AI-skilled talent, highlighting a gap between AI ambition and workforce readiness.

"Organisations in the Philippines are taking meaningful steps to prepare their workforce for the future through AI adoption and skills investment," said Rahul Chawla, partner and head of Talent Solutions in Southeast Asia for Aon. "As demand for talent continues to grow, organisations that align workforce planning, job architecture and pay strategies with AI adoption will be better positioned to translate innovation into growth."

Data Maturity Provides a Foundation, but Gaps Remain

One of the clearest signals in the Philippines is the strength of workforce data, supported by benchmarking sources such as Aon's Radford McLagan Database. More than half of organisations (53 percent) report high levels of HR data maturity, indicating a strong foundation for more informed workforce decisions.

This capability is not yet fully translating into workforce outcomes. Only 20 percent of organisations have a clearly defined and well-understood employee value proposition, limiting their ability to connect workforce insight with engagement and retention.

Employee Expectations and Benefits Gap

While organisations are confident in their people strategies, there is an opportunity to further strengthen alignment with employee experience. Seventy-seven percent of organisations believe their wellbeing strategies meet workforce needs, yet only 25 percent report strong and visible leadership commitment.

A similar shortfall is evident in benefits. While 71 percent of employees value customised benefits, only 9 percent report receiving them, highlighting an opportunity to better align employer offerings with employee expectations.

This imbalance extends to compensation practices. Pay transparency remains underdeveloped, with only 13 percent of organisations reporting mature practices, and 55 percent have not benchmarked compensation recently, which may influence their ability to compete effectively for talent as demand continues to grow.

"Organisations are making meaningful investments in benefits and employee experience, with an opportunity to further strengthen clarity, personalisation and communication," said Cris Rosenthal, strategic advisory lead for Human Capital capabilities in the Philippines for Aon. "Closing the gap between employer intent and employee experience will require more integrated, data-driven and personalised approaches to health and benefits which will be key to improving engagement and workforce performance."

Aligning Investment with Outcomes

The findings reflect continued progress in AI adoption, building workforce capability and data maturity. At the same time, rising employee expectations are placing greater pressure on organisations to translate these investments into measurable outcomes. Future growth will depend less on the pace of investment and more on the effectiveness of execution.

The findings highlight three priorities for organisations in the Philippines to succeed:

• Converting strong data maturity into actionable workforce and talent strategies
• Strengthening compensation transparency and benchmarking to compete for scarce skills
• Aligning benefits design with employee experience through personalisation and clearer communication

As the Philippines continues to evolve as a key talent and services hub in Asia, aligning technology investment with workforce strategy will be key to sustaining growth and strengthening long-term competitiveness.

About the Report

Aon's Human Capital Trends 2026 Study surveyed 2,361 business, HR and people leaders globally, including 504 respondents from APAC across markets including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. More information about the report is available here.
Hashtag: #Aon

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that help protect and grow their businesses.

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon's newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.

Disclaimer
The information contained in this document is solely for information purposes, for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although Aon endeavours to provide accurate and timely information and uses sources that it considers reliable, the firm does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of any content of this document and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. There can be no guarantee that the information contained in this document will remain accurate as on the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or entity should make decisions or act based solely on the information contained herein without appropriate professional advice and targeted research.

** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

Founded by Bill Barry-Cotter and built in Australia, Maritimo is internationally recognised for its long-range motor yachts engineered for offshore performance, efficiency and owner-focused cruising comfort.

Under the agreement, KJM Marine will represent Maritimo in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as Egypt, Lebanon, the Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles.

The appointment reflects growing interest in long-range cruising motor yachts across the region, where experienced owners value genuine offshore capability, reliability and practical onboard comfort.

Regional Experience with Full-Service Support

KJM Marine's leadership team brings more than 15 years of experience in the large motor yacht segment across the Middle East. The company provides integrated sales and after-sales support, backed by an in-house technical team and a dedicated service facility managing commissioning, warranty requirements and ongoing maintenance.

KJM Marine also operates a mobile sales model, meeting clients across the region in their preferred locations. This relationship-focused approach aligns closely with Maritimo's owner-first philosophy.

"KJM Marine is led by CEO Mohammad Aljasmi, supported by Sales Director and industry veteran Paurush Faeouk," said Derrick Nowak, Maritimo's Global Business Development Manager. "I have known Paurush for over three years and have seen first-hand his commitment to client relationships and professional service. During that time, I have watched KJM Marine develop strong capability and become an influential player in the regional yachting market. We believe they offer the right combination of local knowledge and industry experience to represent the Maritimo brand."

Expanding Long-Range Representation

The Greater Middle East is an increasingly important market for long-range cruising motor yachts. Growth in marina infrastructure and a rising number of experienced owners are supporting this demand.

KJM Marine will represent Maritimo's full range of luxury motor yachts, including the M-Series Flybridge Motor Yachts, S-Series Sedan Motor Yachts and Offshore Series models. Each model is designed for offshore performance, structural strength and genuine long-distance cruising comfort.

Built entirely in Australia and tested in demanding offshore conditions, Maritimo yachts are engineered for owners who value capability as much as comfort. Features such as enclosed and air-conditioned flybridge areas enable comfortable year-round cruising in the Middle East climate, while proven ocean-going hulls deliver confidence for longer passages across destinations such as the Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles. Spacious indoor and outdoor entertaining zones, large adventure decks and swim platforms, together with panoramic opening saloon and flybridge windows, allow owners to move easily between climate-controlled comfort and open-air cruising.

Mohammad Aljasmi, CEO of KJM Marine, said:

"Maritimo is a beloved brand among certain yacht lovers in our part of the world, particularly those with a deep knowledge of yachting. We see strong opportunity not only with existing clients, but also with the many new residents choosing to make this region their home, as well as international visitors enjoying the waters of the Seychelles and Maldives."

He added, "They offer superbly built yachts with true ocean-going performance and immaculate quality, designed for year-round enjoyment with features such as fully enclosed and air-conditioned flybridge areas, expansive entertaining spaces across multiple indoor and outdoor zones, large adventure decks and swim platforms that deliver a true connection to the water, and panoramic opening windows that create an open-air feeling when conditions are ideal."

Through this partnership, Maritimo owners across the GCC and surrounding territories will benefit from dedicated local representation, technical expertise and dependable after-sales support.

Hashtag: #Maritimo

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Maritimo

** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **