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16 BONG GUERRERO CEO OF BRAG EVENTS As founder and CEO of Brag Events, and the Alpha male of Fashion Forward – the UAE’s most prestigious fashion industry event – Bong Guerrero has not only carved a name for himself as an entrepreneur: he has transformed himself into a true society icon. With over 25 years of experience in the Gulf, Bong’s expertise in the field of events management, concert production, and fashion is difficult to match. And in 2016, he helped orchestrate a major evolution in the Fashion Forward brand – moving the venue of the shows from Madinat, Jumeirah to D3. More than just a change of space, the move signifies an enhanced focus on marrying the concept of sustainability with the fashion industry. 2016’s Fashion Forward is noted for having a more casual and relaxed than its previous iterations. In an earlier interview with Illustrado, this notable Filipino sums up his simple philosophy, “I enjoy the work that I do. I truly love what I do, and I’m very passionate about what I do. I’d like to think that [passion] brings out some kind of creativity.” ILLUSTRADO 28