Gilberto Duavit Jr.

Gilberto "Jimmy" Roy Duavit Jr. (born October 16, 1963) is a Filipino businessman, philanthropist, producer, and writer. He is the president and chief operating officer of GMA Network Inc., one of the largest media networks in the Philippines. Duavit inherited the position from his father, Gilberto "Bibit" Duavit Sr., who was the network's founding chairman. Duavit first became involved with GMA in 1993 as a film producer for the network's production company, GMA Pictures, which was then named Cinemax Studios and later GMA Films. He produced some of the company's most successful films, including José Rizal (1998) and Muro-Ami (1999), both of which won the Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture successively. After his promotion as the network's vice president in 2000, Duavit became involved in the network's television production, having created the shows Liwanag ng Hatinggabi (1999–2000), Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw (2002–03), and Hanggang Kailan (2004). Since Duavit assumed the presidency from the network's longtime chairman Felipe Gozon, who was appointed CEO, he and Gozon have been attributed for the network's rise as one of the country's leading media networks. The network had won several Peabody Awards, Asian Television Awards, and the New York Television Festival awards during Duavit's presidency. Duavit is the thirty-third-wealthiest person in the Philippines, with a net worth of $440 million, according to Forbes. Early life Duavit was born on October 16, 1963, as the second eldest child of GMA Network chairman Gilberto Duavit Sr. (1934–2018) and Vilma Roy Duavit, the daughter of former Philippine Senator Jose Roy (1904–1986). His older sister, Judith Duavit Vasquez, previously served as a GMA board member. His youngest brother, Michael John Duavit, currently serves as a representative for Rizal's 1st district, which he has served for five terms since 2001, a position that his father and second youngest brother, Joel Roy Duavit, also served; Duavit Sr. served as the district's congressman from 1994 to 2001, while Joel served the position for two consecutive terms from 2010 to 2016. Duavit graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy.