Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum - Manila - October 1, 2024

Fridolin runs XiXun Asia, a boutique management consulting firm in Singapore. He delivered large scale front to back business and IT platform changes as a Program Director and Operating Model Designer. He has more than 35 years’ banking experience in Europe and Asia in both the run and change the bank dimensions. He has successfully led or advised teams on more than 10 core banking transformation projects including Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Canada, Maybank and Deutsche Bank PWM. He designed the IT Blueprint for an online fashion retailer, advised a German telco on their digital transformation journey and project lead Crealogix’ suite of products to Bangkok Bank. Most recently he assessed the target operating model and competitive advantage proposition of a Malaysian tier 1 bank’s wealth management to design their digital blueprint and roadmap. 

Patricia Buenaventura Nichol is member of our global Financial Services practice. Patricia has more than 20 years of experience — including more than 15 years with Bain — advising corporate clients on topics including digitization, innovation, corporate and business unit strategy, and operating model. She has experience working on: Full potential strategy for large, multi-country and single-market international banks in APAC, Americas and EMEA; Full potential transformation for a major Philippine bank and a Philippine pharmaceutical company; Corporate due diligence and portfolio strategy for major private equity funds looking to invest in technology and consumer goods companies; Equity and debt fundraising for various Fortune 500 companies in energy, technology, industrial sectors, telcos (including Philippine telcos), and financial services companies. Patricia is also a core member of our banking innovation team, covering cybersecurity, open banking, agility, and disruptive trends impacting the financial services industry. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School, and a B.A. from Williams College. 

DG Fonacier is the head of the Financial Supervision Sector (FSS), which is mainly responsible for the regulation of banks and other BSP-Supervised Financial Institutions (BSFIs). Under her direct supervision are five subsectors which handle onsite examination and offsite surveillance (or integrated supervision) of BSFIs including specialized supervision of specific areas (i.e., anti-money laundering, trust, financial market operations and information technology), oversight of the public credit registry, policy studies/research, and supervisory data management. DG Fonacier joined the BSP in 1984 as a bank examiner and worked her way to become the deputy governor of FSS in 2017. In 2008, she headed the BSP’s primary supervisory unit that handles specially-challenged banks. Under her watch, a record number of bank issues and developments were successfully resolved and implemented. She also led the development of various programs, in coordination with the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), aimed at strengthening the thrift, rural, and cooperative banking sectors by encouraging mergers, consolidations, and acquisition involving weak banks. DG Fonacier served two extended terms as Chair of the Executives’ Meeting of East Asia Pacific Central Banks Working Group on Banking Supervision (EMEAP WGBS), composed of central bank and supervisory authorities from 11 countries in the East Asia and the Pacific which focuses on bank supervision matters that are relevant to EMEAP WGBS members. She also served as Chair of the Global Standards and Policy of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion and the Consumer Protection and Education Committee of the Financial Sector Forum. She is currently a Steering Committee Member and the BSP Representative Plenary Member to the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) and the permanent alternate of the BSP Governor in the Board of Directors of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC). She previously served as an alternate Member of the National Development Corporation (NDC), as well as the Agricultural Credit Policy Council - Governing Council.
DG Fonacier has served as panelist/resource person in various international conferences for on banking supervision, sustainable finance, financial technology and digitalization, financial inclusion, shadow banking, microfinance, bank resolution and crisis management, financial stability, capacity building, etc. organized by international bodies such as the United Nations (UN), IMF/World Bank, Bank of International Settlements (BIS), Financial Stability Institute (FSI), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Asian Bankers Association (ABA), South East Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) and central banks and monetary/supervisory authorities of various countries. DG Fonacier took up her Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Accounting degree at University of St. La Salle - Bacolod. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a holder of a Career Service Executive Eligibility (CSEE). She obtained her Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) at the Ateneo de Manila University. She attended the Program on Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice organized by the Harvard Kennedy School and the Executive Development Program offered by The Wharton School, Aresty Institute of Executive Education.

Jun was appointed country manager in January 2023. Building on ING’s track record in the Philippines, Jun is responsible for continuing the business momentum by executing the pillars of its Asia Pacific strategy to leverage ING’s global network, deepen client relationships and strengthen its position as the ‘go-to bank’ for sustainable finance. As country manager, he also has overall responsibility for the operations of the Manila Branch. A banking veteran with 30 years of experience, Jun worked at Citibank Philippines from 1993 to 1995. He joined ING’s project finance team in 1996 and was with ING for 10 years. He was the director of Loan Syndications Asia at ING before moving to Merrill Lynch in 2006. Jun worked at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) as regional head of Structured Finance Syndications, Export & Agency Finance and Aviation Finance in 2010. He was appointed regional head of Loans Distribution Asia and head of Structured Credit Distribution of SMBC in 2016. Jun joined ING from SMBC as head of Wholesale Banking, Philippines in May 2022.

Having 33 years of solid professional experience in IT, and have worked over 23 years outside of the Philippines in the capacity of CIO, CTO, CISO regionally and globally, he have been recognized by Global CIO Forum as World CIO Legend Awardee in 2023, he have been recognized also by PhilSec Tradepass as Digital Leader of the Year 2024, and currently FWD Life Insurance Inc Chief Information and Transformation Officer, leading FWD Life Insurance in its digital transformation journey.

Lito Villanueva is the Philippines’ award-winning thought leader on digital transformation and inclusive digital finance at scale. As the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer at RCBC, he spearheaded RCBC's digital revolution, introducing groundbreaking and award-winning innovations. Among its recognitions include the Euromoney’s Best Bank for Digital for five consecutive years (2020-2024), Gartner’s Eye for Innovation, and YouTube’s Challenger award, to name just a few.

Villanueva was recently feted as CX Professional of the Year by The Digital Banker, the Philippines’ Innovator of the Year for Banking in the Asian Management Excellence Awards, the Outstanding Achievement for Marketing Management in the Agora Awards, considered as the ‘Oscars’ of Philippine marketing industry, a two-time Circle of Excellence awardee in the Asia CEO Awards, PhilSec’s GRC Leader of the Year 2024 and Digital Leader of the Year 2023, and as the “Mr. FinTech of the Philippines” by NewsBiz Asia. He bagged triple LinkedIn awards as one of the Top 100 Filipinos on LinkedIn, Philippines’ Top 30 Leaders on LinkedIn, and Top Finance Leader under the LinkedIn Leadership Catalysts Awards in 2023. He is also featured in prestigious lists like the Asian Banker’s Global List of Leading Practitioners (LLP) in Banking and Financial Technology, Seamless Asia's Top 50 Banking and Payments Leaders and Top 100 Fintech Leaders in Asia, amongst his over 70 regional and global accolades.

He is the Founding Chairman of Fintech Alliance.PH, Global Chairman of the Alliance of Digital Finance Associations, a trustee at the Philippine Blockchain Council, Asia FinTech Alliance, and an advisory board member at the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform. He has authored publications including the award-winning Inclusive Digital Finance Report and has a regular business column ‘Bytes’ in the Philippine Star. 

Villanueva holds two graduate degrees from prestigious institutions, and finished the Digital Transformation by Design at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, UK.

Carlo Bass Nazareno is the Head of Cash Management Services in the Transaction Baking Group of BDO Unibank, based in Manila. Before coming back to Manila in 2020, Carlo spent 16 years in London, holding various roles in Citi, JP Morgan, Bank of America Merril Lynch and HSBC, specializing in Cash Management, Treasury Services and Compliance. His last role was in the Global Corporate Operations Office of HSBC’s Global Liquidity and Cash Management team managing and leading the global digital and investment programs of the bank. He has a Master’s Degree in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management and an undergraduate degree in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University.

Gino has been the Chief Marketing Officer of the Company since November 1, 2020, and was Head of Regional Market Management of Allianz Asia Pacific from 2018 to 2020. His previous posts are: Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Allianz Global Assistance; Vice President for Sales and Marketing and Director, Marketing and Communications, Co-operators Group; Director, Affiliated Distribution Network Marketing, ING Canada.  

Gino has a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Richard Ivey School of Business and participated in various Management Learning and Development courses from the Allianz Group, the Co-operators, and ING. He also received a Direct Marketing Diploma from the Institute of Direct Marketing UK, a Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and Double Major, Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University. 

As InLife's President & CEO, Raoul is the Vice-Chair of Insular Foundation, Inc. He first joined InLife in 2018 as its Chief Agency Officer and later became Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer before his current designation. He occupied various key positions such as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Distribution. Officer of other life insurance companies. Aside from the life insurance industry, he is formerly connected with retail and real estate companies, where he was instrumental in growing their respective businesses and was responsible for setting the directions towards their success. He is also a strong advocate of renewable energy, having worked as technical consultant for foreign assisted and special projects of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Among the projects he was involved in were the Philippine Solid Waste Management Project, Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Eco Tourism Development, Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity Project and the Digitization of Cadastral Lands. He is a member of the Makati Business Club, Insurance Institute for Asia and the Pacific, Inc. and Philippine Life Insurance Association. Academic and Professional Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, De La Salle University. He also completed an Executive Development Course from Life Office Management Association/Life Insurance and Market Research Association in conjunction with Penn State University. 2023 Corporate Governance Seminars Attended:
Institute of Corporate Directors' (ICD's) Masterclass: The Third Series: Session 3, entitled "Adopting Entrepreneurial Mindset: A Prime of Board Directors" (2 hours) and Session 6, entitled "The Brand Architecture: A Valuable Framework for Setting Strategy" (2 Hours).

Anna currently leads the Assurance practice in the Philippines and has over 23 years of solid experience in the fields of cyber risk management, information technology security strategies, and technology implementations. Prior to this role, she was the Country Risk Advisory Leader – the first woman to hold this position – overseeing Regulatory, Financial, Technology, and Cyber Risk services.

Her portfolio of cybersecurity services includes security strategy and governance, vulnerability management, security implementations and security operations for financial services, utilities and power companies.

She helps companies navigate the complex requirements of data privacy, cybersecurity and emerging risks brought about by new regulations, technologies, and business trends such as digital transformation, cloud, mobility, IOT, RPA, and artificial intelligence. She draws her insight from her vast practical experience as the former head of Technology Information Security Group of the Philippines’ largest telco, where she was responsible for the management of strategic initiatives to preserve the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of information assets and resources.

Prior to her telco role, she was also one of the youngest Vice Presidents of the Philippines' largest universal bank and the head of its Information Systems Audit Department. In her earlier years, she was with a consulting company performing various IT risk services here in the Philippines and in Australia.

In the dynamic world of risk management, Ingrid stands out for her unwavering commitment to excellence and her strategic prowess in navigating complex landscapes. With a strong foundation in Enterprise Risk Management and Governance, she has honed her skills over a span of 12 years in various roles, each contributing to her ability to envision and implement robust risk strategies.

Ingrid's professional journey with GCash began in a pivotal role as the Head of Enterprise Risk Management, where she developed a profound understanding of risk assessment and mitigation. This expertise was instrumental as she assumed the role of Chief Risk Officer, where she led initiatives that significantly bolstered the organization's risk resilience and regulatory compliance. Currently, she oversees critical verticals including Risk Governance, Business Assurance Management, and Business Protection and Continuity Management.

In addition to her extensive professional experience, Ingrid has pursued intensive programs from prestigious institutions such as Asian Institute of Management for the Enterprise Risk Management Program, Insead Singapore for the Executive Development Program in Leadership and Kellogg School of Management for the Accelerated General Management Program. These programs have further enriched her leadership acumen and strategic thinking.

Ingrid's approach to risk governance is characterized by a blend of foresight and adaptability. She excels in anticipating emerging risks and devising proactive strategies to mitigate them, ensuring that the organization remains agile in the face of evolving challenges. Her dedication to fostering a culture of risk awareness and accountability has been pivotal in driving organizational change and resilience.

Ingrid's track record speaks volumes about her ability to lead and innovate in the field of risk management. As she continues to make significant strides in her career, her passion for excellence and strategic vision remain unwavering, making her a valuable asset to any organization

Mila Bedrenets serves as the Chief Growth Hacker at Tonik, the Philippines' pioneering independent digital bank. Renowned for her strategic and creative vision and leadership style, Mila brings a wealth of experience and fun to her role.

With a background spanning finance and marketing in several emerging markets –  she spearheads innovative and customer-centric initiatives, propelling the bank to the forefront of digital banking excellence. Under her guidance, Tonik has become synonymous with exceptional customer experience in the digital banking landscape.

Ginbee heads BPI’s Consumer Banking Segment, formed post-merger of BPI and BPI Family Savings Bank (BFSB) to unlock the synergies of a consolidated consumer business. After having served BFSB as President since June 2017 and as a board director since 2015, Ginbee now leads the combined retail businesses to primarily serve the needs of over 11.3 million individual customers. With the recent merger with Robinsons Bank, BPI Consumer Banking is now comprised of 868 branches nationwide, retail digital platforms, consumer segment marketing, core retail products of deposits, auto loans, housing loans, motorcycle loans and bancassurance and the segment’s support services team. With the consolidation of these businesses into OneConsumer bank, Ginbee has steadfastly focused on driving the strategy of transforming the customer experience towards becoming what the bank refers to as “phygital”. It leverages on the bank’s vast physical presence to offer trusted advice through its over 11,000-strong cadre of expert bank personnel complemented by best-in-class digital capabilities that make banking easier and more convenient, anytime, anywhere. In the past year, the Consumer Bank has been able to aggressively expand the retail customer base with new digital product offerings, increase market shares in deposits and loans through enhanced customer engagements and business partnerships, and improve asset quality through innovative risk management and recovery initiatives. Ginbee inspires a high performing, agile and collaborative culture to be able to serve the ever-changing needs of customers.

Beyond digitizing products and automating processes, the ongoing transformation journey of the Consumer Bank encompasses the transformation of the branches from transactional to advisory centers enabled by the continuous upskilling and reskilling of bank personnel. Her experience in BFSB of transforming processes, products and culture enabled high quality business growth and a pandemicresilient portfolio, preserving its leadership position in the thrift bank industry until its merger. Prior to assuming leadership of BFSB, she served as Group Head of Retail Loans after heading BPI’s Payments and Unsecured Lending Group for 11 years where she led initiatives and innovations that differentiated BPI in the industry, such as the launches of the first EMV compliant credit cards and Real Thrills, the first instant rewards program.

Before joining BPI, Ginbee was Vice President at Citibank Philippines managing the bank’s Retail Bank Marketing then at Citibank Credit Cards Cross Sell Division in New York. She also worked at Ayala Land to establish and head its Market Planning and Development Division where she became part of the team responsible for the company’s foray into the middle market. She started her career in Procter & Gamble as Brand Assistant then was promoted to Assistant Brand Manager, managing brands such as Mr. Clean, Perla, Star and Dari Crème.

Ginbee served as the Secretary and Trustee of the Chamber of Thrift Banks until BFSB’s merger. She currently serves as a Board Director and Chairman of the Personnel Committee of BPI MS Insurance Corporation, a Director of the Board of TransUnion Philippines, and a Director of Legazpi Savings Bank. She has been part of the Ayala Group’s Innovation Advisory Council since its inception in 2013 and recently joined the Advisory Board of the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform (AIBP). She serves as a mentor for high-impact entrepreneurs in Endeavor Philippines and is a contributor to the Philippine Star’s Property Report section. She is a member of the Management Association of the Philippines, Harvard Global Club of the Philippines, Filipina CEO Circle and NextGen Organization of Women Corporate Directors. She earned a master's degree from the Harvard Business School with honors in 1996. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in BS Business Administration and Accountancy from the University of the Philippines Diliman, was awarded one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines, and placed first in the CPA licensure exam in 1991. She also earned recognition as one of the UP College of Business Administration’s Distinguished Alumni in 2012, as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women by the Global Filipina Women’s Network in 2016 and PeopleAsia’s Women of Style and Substance in 2019.

Ginbee is happily married to her husband, Jeffrey, for 26 years who himself has an illustrious career and currently the General Manager of Haleon (formerly, GSK Consumer Healthcare) Philippines and Thailand. They are members of the Missionary Families for Christ/Couples for Christ and have been blessed with two children and two dogs.

Prior to joining the Bank, she worked with Banco de Oro Unibank Incorporated for 10 years from January 2013 to June 2023. She also held a various position in Chartis Technology and Operations Management Group from 2006 to 2012; Avon Cosmetics, Incorporated from 2001 to 2006; Systems Standards, Incorporated from 1999 to 2001; Bayan Telecommunications as Account Specialist last 1999.

She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Saint Louis University.