René G. Bañez

Atty. Bañez served in the government as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) from February 2001 to August 2002 and as Deputy Commissioner from June 1993 to November 1995. Apart from serving the government, Atty. Bañez also served in the private sector and held senior level positions in Isla Lipana & Co./PwC (formerly Joaquin Cunanan & Co.), Metro Pacific Investment Corporation and PLDT. He was a faculty member at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law, handling Taxation, from 1990 to 2007.

Atty. Bañez spent more than 11 years at accounting firm Isla Lipana & Co./PwC (formerly Joaquin Cunanan & Co.), starting as a Tax Consultant in 1982 until he became Tax Principal (Partner) from 1990 to 1993. Until his retirement from PLDT in 2016, he was Senior Vice President and Head of the Supply Chain, Asset Protection and Management Group, from 2008 to 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Governance Officer from 2004 to 2007; Corporate Governance Advisor from 2003 to 2004; Senior Vice President, Support Services and Tax Management from 2000 to 2001; and First Vice President, Support Services and Tax Management from 1998 to 2000. Prior to joining PLDT, he was Group Tax Director of Metro Pacific Investment Corporation until 1998.

He is senior lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law.

He is also affiliated with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and is a Member of the Finance Board of the Archdiocese of Manila and Diocese of Pasig. He is also a Board Member/Trustee of Radio Veritas Corporation, Pope Pius Foundation, Catholic Travel Inc., Mirador Jesuit Villa & Retreat House Corporation, Loyola School of Theology Corporation, and Unitas Asia Corp. (a subsidiary of Radio Veritas Asia).

Atty. Bañez graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1981 and his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976 both from Ateneo de Manila University.