Top Collector Robbie Antonio’s Family Has Substantial Business Ties to Donald Trump

by Eileen Kinsella, artnet News

As the businessman prepares to step into the role of president, a lengthy New York Times story on November 26 takes aim at US president-elect Donald Trump’s financial ties and potential conflicts worldwide.

The story opens with a discussion of Jose E.B. Antonio, a Philippine developer who is the father of Robbie Antonio, one of artnet New’s top collectors to watch and a fixture on the art circuit; Robbie is seen frequently at high-profile events including art fairs and major auctions, including Sotheby’s recent Impressionist and modern art evening sale earlier this month.

According to the Times report, E.B. Antonio, who was “quietly named a special envoy to the United States by the Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte,” is building a $150 million tower in Manila’s financial district. His business partner is none other than Trump.

Announcement of Trump Tower Manila. Courtesy of Flickr Commons.

Following the election, E.B. Antonio flew to New York for a private meeting at Trump Tower with the Trump children, who have been involved with the Manila project from the beginning, along with Antonio’s children. Robbie confirmed to the Times that the Trumps and Antonios have other projects in the works, including Trump-branded resorts in the Philippines.

Robbie gave an interview to the Times in which he assured that there was no reason to doubt his father’s priorities. “It is for the good of the country now,” he said.

Beyond real estate, the 39-year-old entrepreneur has also developed a taste for expensive art. According to a page on Century Properties, he displays a number of blue-chip artworks in his $15 million Manila house that was designed by Rem Koolhaas’ firm OMA. In a 2013 profile in Vanity Fair, he commissioned “a series of portraits of himself by some of the world’s top contemporary artists,” such as “Julian Schnabel, Marilyn Minter, David Salle, Zhang Huan, members of the Bruce High Quality Foundation, and Takashi Murakami.”

Now, Robbie is developing designer-driven luxury homes for international clients. “I want the homes to be perceived as art pieces,” he told Forbes at Frieze Art Fair earlier this year. His first big sale was in March, via a Zaha Hadid-designed dining pavilion that sold for €1.3 million ($1.37 million).

Top Collector Robbie Antonio’s Family Has Substantial Business Ties to Donald Trump

by Art World

They are partners on a $150 million tower in Manila.

As the businessman prepares to step into the role of president, a lengthy New York Times story on November 26 takes aim at US president-elect Donald Trump’s financial ties and potential conflicts worldwide.

The story opens with a discussion of Jose E.B. Antonio, a Philippine developer who is the father of Robbie Antonio, one of artnet New’s top collectors to watch and a fixture on the art circuit; Robbie is seen frequently at high-profile events including art fairs and major auctions, including Sotheby’s recent Impressionist and modern art evening sale earlier this month.

According to the Times report, E.B. Antonio, who was “quietly named a special envoy to the United States by the Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte,” is building a $150 million tower in Manila’s financial district. His business partner is none other than Trump.

Following the election, E.B. Antonio flew to New York for a private meeting at Trump Tower with the Trump children, who have been involved with the Manila project from the beginning, along with Antonio’s children. Robbie confirmed to the Times that the Trumps and Antonios have other projects in the works, including Trump-branded resorts in the Philippines.

Robbie gave an interview to the Times in which he assured that there was no reason to doubt his father’s priorities. “It is for the good of the country now,” he said.

Beyond real estate, the 39-year-old entrepreneur has also developed a taste for expensive art. According to a page on Century Properties, he displays a number of blue-chip artworks in his $15 million Manila house that was designed by Rem Koolhaas’ firm OMA. In a 2013 profile in Vanity Fair, he commissioned “a series of portraits of himself by some of the world’s top contemporary artists,” such as “Julian Schnabel, Marilyn Minter, David Salle, Zhang Huan, members of the Bruce High Quality Foundation, and Takashi Murakami.”

Now, Robbie is developing designer-driven luxury homes for international clients. “I want the homes to be perceived as art pieces,” he told Forbes at Frieze Art Fair earlier this year. His first big sale was in March, via a Zaha Hadid-designed dining pavilion that sold for €1.3 million ($1.37 million).

Shares in Century Properties rally after Trump’s US presidential win

by CHRISEE DELA PAZ, Rappler

The local property developer bucks regional bloodbath on Wednesday, November 9, with analysts believing the surge is because of Trump’s presidential victory

MANILA, Philippines – Century Properties Group Incorporated surged on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Wednesday, November 9, after its business partner Donald Trump won the United States presidential election.

Shares in the property company, which holds the license to develop Trump Tower in Manila, settled at 72 centavos after gaining 12 centavos or 20% in Wednesday’s trading.

Century Properties bucked the regional bloodbath, with analysts believing the surge was because of Trump’s presidential victory.

This developed as the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) plunged to 2.58% or 188.76 points to close at 7,119.04, and property shares slid by 3.47% or 112.43 points to 3,131.34. (READ: From Paris Hilton to Donald Trump, Century Properties’ celebrity ties)

“This is more of a psychological buy. As you know, they are the local partner of Trump Organization for Trump Tower Manila,” Harry Liu, chief of brokerage firm Summit Securities Incorporated, said in a phone interview.

COL Financial head of research April Lee Tan echoed Liu’s remarks. She said Trump’s victory could be the reason for the surge in Century Properties’ shares, amid a regional bloodbath.

Donald Trump Jr, the US president-elect’s son, visited the country in 2014 to help Century Properties break ground on the $150-million Trump TowerTM Manila, a 56-storey residential building in the sprawling business district of Makati City.

“I’ve always loved the Philippines. I think it’s just a special place, and Manila is one of Asia’s most spectacular cities. I know that this project will be second to none,” Donald Trump, chairman and president of the Trump Organization, was quoted in the official website of Trump Tower Philippines as saying.

Robbie Antonio, the head of the company’s business development, was introduced to Ivanka Trump, who had him meet her father, who then agreed to license his trade and family name to Century.

As of May 2016, Century Properties said masonry activities for Trump Tower were in “full swing up to the topmost floor (57th level) while plumbing and electrical roughing-in have reached the 40th floor.” It is set to be opened within the year.

CEO named as special envoy to the US

Other than the Trump victory, Liu said investors could be thinking that “Jose Antonio being the new special envoy to the US will be beneficial for the company.”

President Rodrigo Duterte last October 28 named Century Properties chairman and CEO Antonio as special envoy to the US.

“His mission is to enhance business ties and strengthen the economic affairs between the two countries,” Century Properties told the local bourse in a disclosure.

Antonio also served as the country’s special envoy for trade and economics to China in 2005.

The chief of Century Properties graduated cum laude from San Beda College in Manila in 1966 and from Harvard University’s Owner/President Management Program in 2003. – Rappler.com

The man of substance

by Robbie Antonio, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The younger Antonio with his father, former Ambassador Jose E.B. Antonio, who also serves as chairman of Century Properties.

I have been referred to as “Asia’s youngest real estate tycoon” and by Forbes Asia as the “liaison to the stars” as we, at Century Properties, have brought global fashion houses, Hollywood A-listers, prominent architects, and the most iconic real estate brands to the Philippines for exclusive luxury projects that are now changing Manila’s skyline.

It was in 2011 when I headed Century Properties’ International Brand Collaborations, and started to conceptualize, negotiate, source, and launch projects in Manila with lifestyle game-changers. These included the Trump Organization for Trump Tower at Century City; Paris Hilton for the Paris Beach Club at Azure Urban Resort Residences; and The Milano Residences in partnership with Versace and in collaboration with MissoniHome. We’ve also had collaborations with Yoo, the interior design company founded by John Hitchcox; and Philippe Starck, one of the most celebrated and revered living designers today. Our latest project is Century Spire, a residential office tower whose architecture is by Daniel Libeskind, with amenity interiors designed by Armani/Casa.

Over the years, I have learned that passion for innovation and excellence should always go hand in hand with market understanding and experience. We have to learn from the lessons of history, and innovate towards the aspirations of our target market. We may have come up with products that one would normally consider tough to sell but we’ve also successfully tapped into the aspiration of many Filipinos—which is to have a higher quality of life.

Apart from catering to the needs of the market, it would also be crucial to offer the best value among the products in your own category. Adding value to a real estate property will attract the very discerning property market. The market will always respond positively to lifestyle innovations that make sense. For a few more dollars, one can own property that is above par not only in terms of money value but also quality of life.

I have also learned that timing is everything. You have to know when to introduce specific products to specific markets. Developers who have experienced more than four economic cycles like ours will develop the sense of launching the right product to the right market at the right time.

Donald Trump Jr., executive vice president for Trump Organization, with Robbie Antonio of Century Properties. NELSON MATAWARAN

Cloud-like: Prefab house by Studio Fuksas

by Nina Shell, DETAIL Business Information

 

‘Matilda’ – this is the name that the architect and designer duo Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas (Studio Fuksas) have given the house they have developed for Wallpaper as part of the “Revolution” project. Like all the dwellings in the series, the Matilda Home is based on pre-fabricated elements and is thus quick and easy to erect.

As the designers state, “The idea to bring design also in common life attracted us. This is a new concept of habitat of house. It’s a mobile home it can be everywhere around the world; everybody can be a client. It’s a modular unit so many of them can be added together like a cloud. It can even be a city .This is not an object, it is a concept; it can be a city, a landscape or simply a home. Easy to build, it can be done in different materials more or less expensive. ‘Matilda’ is a completely different space since nowadays we don’t need so much storage space, you just need to have a screen. The only important thing is to have a nice place to eat, to seat and to sleep.” And naturally a piece of property on which to locate your own personal part of the cloud.
Further houses in the limited edition can be seen here.