Converge ICT’s amazing Grace

The deities of the universe must have whispered to her parents’ ears what name would best fit her. Thus, the most befitting name was given to Maria Grace Uy. The president and co-founder of Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is certainly a woman who carries herself with much grace.

That’s the first thing you’ll notice when you meet her – she is gracious, poised, kind, confident and beautiful inside and out. Her style is simple yet elegant. Simplicity, she believes, is the ultimate form of sophistication.

The grace she exudes, matched with grit, is perhaps Grace’s secret to success.

In 2007, she and her husband, Dennis Anthony Uy, put up Converge, a telecommunications service provider that has disrupted the telco duopoly in the Philippines.

Of course, like most success stories, Grace’s story didn’t happen overnight. It’s a long, continuing journey and the first chapter was written by her mother.

“My mom was the most pivotal person in shaping me to become who I am today. She raised me to be hard working, driven, goal-oriented and conscientious. Growing up, she would repeatedly tell me: Always have a goal, work hard and be in control of your life,” Grace says.

Grace is the youngest and the only daughter of a middle-class, third-generation Chinese-Filipino family.

Her father worked for a plastic manufacturing company while her mother used to make clothes for babies.

Unfortunately, her mother passed away when Grace was only 13, giving her more responsibilities very early on. Just the same, her mother bequeathed to her a strong belief in education. “She was a large believer in the power of education. It can provide opportunities that can dictate who we become and what we can create for our future. In the same way, I try to impart these lessons to my kids,” expounds Grace, who is herself a mother of three.

Thus, upon the prodding of her mother, Grace made sure she studied hard. She pursued a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy at the De La Salle University and eventually landed in 16th place in the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Board Examination in 1989.

Obviously, she loved numbers.

After finishing her studies, she worked for a multinational, which helped her