Bren James Manlangit is a dynamic leader whose career spans multiple disciplines in accounting, financial modeling, commercial finance, management accounting, government compliance, taxation, and project management. A Certified Management Accountant (CMA) of ICMA Australia, he has built a reputation for technical expertise and strategic leadership in both multinational corporations and high-growth companies. He began his career as an Accounting Consultant at Crowe Philippines, where he specialized in audit, accounting, and tax compliance—successfully uncovering fraudulent transactions for two SMEs under his supervision. He later joined Johnson & Johnson, overseeing general accounting operations for the Vision Care sector in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, and led a global fixed asset management project covering multiple Asia-Pacific countries. At just 25, he became Finance Manager at WernerCo, controlling a ₱100 million corporate budget, establishing the Philippine accounting department, and transitioning workflows from the U.S. to the Philippines. Today, he serves as Director of Accounting – PH Division at DMH PH Inc., a subsidiary of Intero Digital, managing the financial backbone of a $50 million U.S.-based digital marketing company.
When asked “How did you discover CMA Philippines?”, Bren shared that he stumbled upon the program through online research while seeking ways to accelerate his career growth.
“I actually searched it online so I was thinking about how to improve my career and how to climb up the corporate ladder. So I think it was just a random streaming in the Internet that I saw a CMA ads and then I went to YouTube, how people are having their CMA credentials and then what benefit can give you. So yeah, so I went to the CMA website directly and inquired how to take up that exam.”
Motivated by the global recognition and strategic skillset the CMA offers, he pursued certification in 2018 and received his results in early 2019.
On “In what ways has being part of CMA helped your career grow?”, Bren emphasized that the program was instrumental in his transition from a finance supervisor role to senior leadership opportunities, including being considered for controller, director, and even CFO positions. Applying advanced analytical and strategic decision-making skills from the CMA program allowed him to contribute at a higher level, leading to significant changes in his responsibilities and career trajectory.
“It helps a lot being a CMA has been instrumental in my career. So before I took up the CMA certification, I was a finance supervisor. And then as I applied the advanced analytical strategic skills that I learned in CMA program, it enables me to contribute more effectively to organizational decision making, which led to a dynamic change of my function. So even though my position title remains as finance supervisor, my function changed towards strategy and leadership. So this is when I work in a startup company and then this allows me to be considered on senior roles such as controller, director and even CFO position on opportunities outside, so I was a finance. There was actually a – it’s not common that you were a finance supervisor and then you apply to opportunities outside and then you are being considered in senior roles like, yeah, the management or sea suit level rules. So I believe that the CMA certification really added that value in my career. That’s why I was considered on those roles.”
In answering “How does CMA help you in your current profession?”, Bren highlighted how the certification sharpened his financial expertise and strategic insight—skills crucial in evaluating projects, optimizing costs, improving operational efficiency, and aligning financial goals with overall business strategies. He credits CMA as a major factor in earning trust from executives and business owners, both in the Philippines and abroad.
“Well, one is financial expertise and two is strategic insight. So whether it be evaluating a new project, optimizing cost leadership or forecasting, CMA’s are skilled in analyzing data to drive informed decisions. So optimizing costs or improving operational efficiency. That includes in the CMA. So CMA also plays a critical role in aligning financial goals with overall business strategy. I believe that CMA program have invaluable contribution even in today’s competitive landscape.”
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