Google PH names Prep Palacios as country manager to lead AI, YouTube Shopping push

Google has appointed Prep Palacios (pictured) as its new country manager for the Philippines, placing her at the helm of the company’s strategy and advertising portfolio at a time when AI and video commerce are reshaping the country’s digital economy.

Reporting directly to Sapna Chadha, vice president for Southeast Asia and South Asia frontier at Google, Palacios is tasked with deepening the platform’s role in accelerating brand growth, particularly through the twin engines of Google Search and YouTube Shopping.

“Prep steps into the role of country manager for Google Philippines at a pivotal moment, as Search - now supercharged by Gemini - and YouTube Shopping transform how businesses engage audiences and unlock growth,” said Chadha. “The Philippines is one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic digital economies - young, AI-curious, and video-first. With Prep’s proven leadership and deep commitment to empowering brands and Filipino companies, she is well-positioned to champion Google’s continued growth and impact for the country and the region.”

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Palacios’ mandate centres on enabling organisations to navigate the fast-evolving AI landscape. By leveraging Google’s ecosystem, she will support companies in scaling their digital transformation, capturing measurable results, and building meaningful impact across industries.

“I’m excited to help brands and communities succeed in the AI era by harnessing the full power of Google’s ecosystem - from Search to YouTube,” said Palacios. “By combining our strong foundation in Search with the rapid growth of YouTube Shopping, we can enable businesses to scale faster, drive measurable results, and reinforce the Philippines’ position as Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital economy.”

Palacios brings over 20 years of leadership in technology and digital transformation. She has spent the last eight years at Google scaling the advertising business and helping customers adopt digital-first solutions. Prior to joining Google, she held leadership roles at Microsoft for 12 years across channels, distribution, and the SMB segment, alongside consulting stints with Oracle, Ernst & Young, and Siemens.

Under her leadership, Google is expected to expand its collaborations with both global brands and local companies. Current partnerships already include names such as CocoTea, McDonald’s, ChowKing and UnionBank, among others.

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