George Marsman Drysdale is Chairman and CEO of the Marsman Drysdale Group, a diversified Philippine-based holding and management company with interests in the agribusiness, food processing, communications, tourism and investment management industries. The Group’s current operating interests primarily include tropical fruit and vegetable plantations (banana, mango and asparagus) for export throughout Asia and the Middle East, branded fruit and juice processing, marketing and distribution; wireless data and voice communications, and corporate travel and tour services. In addition, the Group holds significant interests in corporations involved in cable TV, IT training, call centers, medical equipment distribution and investment banking and management. Mr. Drysdale also makes direct private equity investments in high growth communications and media companies in the United States. Primary investments currently include DST Systems, Apria, Intraware, IP Wireless and the San Francisco Giants baseball team.
Prior to joining the Marsman-Drysdale Group in 1991, Mr. Drysdale was a venture capitalist, first as General Partner of Hambrecht & Quist Venture Partners of San Francisco (1983-1988), and then as a managing General Partner of Westar Capital, a management buyout firm. From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Drysdale practiced corporate, securities, and tax law for Davis, Polk & Wardwell, a Wall Street law firm.
Mr. Drysdale was born in Manila, Philippines and raised in California and the Philippines. He received a B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA) in 1976 and a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a M.B.A. from the Stanford Business School in 1980.
Mr. Drysdale was awarded a White House Fellowship in 1987 and served as Special Assistant to Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng. Mr. Drysdale has also served as a member of the National Advisory Council for the Small Business Administration. He is currently a member of Team 100.
Mr. Drysdale serves as the Chairman of more than 20 closely held companies and as a Director or Advisory Board Member of 4 private companies outside the Marsman Drysdale Group. Mr. Drysdale is a trustee of his alma mater, Harvey Mudd College. Mr. Drysdale recently served three terms as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and is currently the Chairman of the twenty-four member chambers of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC). Mr. Drysdale has been very involved with the Young Presidents’ Organization and recently served as the Chair of the Philippine Chapter of YPO. In his spare time, George enjoys golf, tennis and baseball.
Mr. Drysdale resides in Manila and Hillsborough, California and has four children: Catherine (12), Jennifer (10), George (7) and Caroline (5).
