Imelda Nicolas

Imelda Nicolas is Chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), a Cabinet-level secretary position under the Office of the President of the Philippines. Recently recognized by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World,” Secretary Nicolas has been active in the migration and development field. She chairs the Metropolis Asia Secretariat and is a member of the Metropolis International Steering Committee and the Experts Advisory Committee of the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD) and the Migration and Integration Management Training Organization (MIMTO).

Prior to her appointment at the CFO, she was Cabinet-level Secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, former Chairperson of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, and Presidential Assistant helping Cabinet secretaries in monitoring implementation of major government-funded infrastructures. She was also Chair of the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines and a board member of the Millennium Challenge Account–Philippines, Tanghalan Pilipino, and The Lewis College.

Before rejoining government in 2004, she was Vice President for Development at TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc., a New York-based multinational company, and Managing Director at TLC Beatrice China. She was also the first Filipina representative in the APEC Business Advisory Council. Secretary Nicolas graduated magna cum laude from St. Theresa’s College and attended graduate studies in Arts History at Columbia University.