CEO Profiles: Edwin Bautista
One of the pioneers of digital banking in the Philippines, Edwin Bautista has won several global awards for his leadership and innovation in the sector.
Edwin Bautista is one of the pioneering leaders in the local banking industry as the President and CEO of UnionBank, with a banking career spanning more than 35 years. He spearheaded the digital transformation of the bank, and under his leadership, the bank garnered international recognition.
Current Company and Role
President and CEO, UnionBank (2016 – present)
Other Roles
- Director, Aboitiz Equity Ventures
- Chairman, CitySavings Bank
- Director, Bancnet
- Director, Banker’s Association of the Philippines (BAP)
- Chairman, First Union Plans
- Director, UBP Investments Corporation
- Director, UBX Philippines Corporation
- Director, UnionDigital Bank
- Director, UnionBank Investment Management and Trust Corporation
- Director, Aboitiz Power Corporation
Notable Previous Companies and Roles
- Senior Brand Manager, Procter and Gamble
- Marketing and Sales Director of the Philippines and Guam, American Express International
- Vice President/Group Head of Transaction Banking, Citibank
Awards and Recognition
- Banking CEO of the Year, International Banker (2018)
- Best Banking CEO, European Global Banking and Finance Awards (2018)
- DLSAA Lasallian Achievement Awardee (2019)
- Digital Banker of the Year for Asia Pacific, The Asset (2020)
- IDC Asia Pacific’s DX CEO, Digital Transformation Awards (2020)
- Best Banking CEO of the Year in Asia, International Banker (2021)
- One of Asia’s Best CEOs, Corporate Governance Asia’s Asian Excellence Awards (2022)
- Lifetime Achievement Award in Banking, International Investor Magazine (2023)
Education
- BS Mechanical Engineering, De La Salle University (1981)
- Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School (2011)
Quotes
Key Quotes
“The reason why I’m comfortable with the use of technology [is] largely because of my engineering background.”
On how his engineering background helped in his career shift to banking
“I have lots of analytical types, but I also need the creative—the wild ones. Sometimes they’re the ones who create, cook up the crazy ideas.”
On building a team
“And all of a sudden, in the last five years, there’s this influx of technology that you can harness to improve the customer experience. This is the golden age of marketing in banking.”
On the rise of digital banking
“We test [the] market with a small segment, but we pivot once we know what it is that needs to be done to tweak the product. I think that’s the secret of this whole thing,”
On applying Agile principles in digital banking
“Well, what do they say? History is written by the victors. So we only write about our successes and never failures. But in reality, I think, I wouldn’t say failures in the negative sense, but failures that serve as stepping stones to success.”
On how he views ‘failures’
“What you learn in college is good for the first x years. And it’s getting shorter and shorter. Every five years, you need to learn a new trick or a new thing. So if you’re working in a corporate environment, the corporation also changes. You need to be able to be open to the idea of reinventing yourself.”
On the importance of constant learning and upskilling
Learn more about the journey of Edwin Bautista from Engineering to Banking and how he disrupted the banking industry.
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