BPI wins multiple awards from The Digital Banker

BPI MS President Ichiro Iwabuchi (rightmost) receives the award.

As a leader in digital banking, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is still widely acknowledged for its innovative approaches to improving digital customer experiences. 

The esteemed international financial news and research provider, The Digital Banker, recently honored BPI. These accolades recognize global banking excellence and honor trailblazers who elevate the banking experience for clients by embracing digital transformation and setting new benchmarks.

At the Digital CX Awards ceremony held in Singapore, BPI emerged triumphant, securing the following top honors:

• Best Use of AI for Customer Experience

• Best Digital CX for Social Channels

• Best Digital Customer Experience for Account Opening and Customer Onboarding in Wealth Management

• Best Wealth Manager for Digital Customer Experience in the Philippines

• Best Digital General Insurance for Express Protect (BPI MS)

• Best Digital Insurance Product for CX for PamilyaProtect (BPI AIA)

Moreover, BPI was recognized as “Highly Acclaimed” in various categories:

• Excellence in Omnichannel Experience

• Outstanding Chatbot Customer Experience

• Outstanding Digital CX – Retail Loans Banking

• Best Cloud Initiative for Digital CX

In 2023, there were over 210 million transactions from more than 7 million total users on BPI’s digital platforms.

“We are honored to receive these awards from The Digital Banker. These recognitions reflect our dedication to delivering seamless, meaningful, and innovative customer experiences across all touchpoints. Our commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technologies remains steadfast as we strive to deliver exceptional value to our stakeholders. We hope to continue making a positive impact in the society, aligned with our vision of helping build a better Philippines – one family, one community at a time.” ~TG Limcaoco, BPI President and CEO

BPI continues to improve its digital services, updating client engagement platforms for a better and safer banking experience.

“By securing this award, we deliver a vital message to our policyholders. BPI MS remains steadfastly committed to preserving and safeguarding the value of their hard-earned assets, especially during the most challenging and unfortunate times.” ~Ichiro Iwabuchi, President and CEO of BPI MS 

Accepting the awards for BPI were (from left) Winston Almendras, Head of Institutional Brand Management & Digital; Melissa Joy Valdez, Head of Customer Relationship Marketing & Loyalty; and Lea Maranan, BPI Wealth’s Head of Experience Management.

“We are honored to receive recognition for PamilyaProtect. This award reaffirms our belief in empowering Filipino families with convenient and affordable insurance coverage, safeguarding the well-being of every household, and providing peace of mind and security in times of need.” ~Karen Custodia, BPI AIA, CEO

BPI champions sustainability, launches electric vehicle for employees

The electric vehicle will provide free shuttle service to BPI employees commuting to and from MRT Buendia Station and BPI Buendia Center. Soon, it will add another stop at One Ayala Terminal.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has leased a new electric vehicle (EV) unit in a bid to gradually replace its old gas-powered fleet vehicles and curtail its greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.

BPI has partnered with Global Electric Transportation (GET), a provider of EVs that use fast-charging lithium-ion batteries, to supply its new EV unit that will be used to provide free shuttle services for its employees travelling between BPI Buendia Center and MRT Buendia Station.

“In BPI, we believe that the first step to building a sustainable future is by starting within ourselves, within the organization. We are excited to roll out a more environment-friendly and sustainable shuttle service for our employees. This forms part of our mission to help build a better Philippines—one family, one community at a time.” ~TG Limcaoco, BPI President and CEO

The EV could potentially reduce the Bank’s diesel consumption by 30,000 liters per year, which in turn will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40,000 kilograms of CO2 per year.

“We are glad to see that more companies are pushing for the use of EVs and starting to realize its positive impact not only on the environment but also on their bottom line. We are happy to partner with BPI and support their sustainability initiatives through our sustainable transport solutions.” ~Freddie Tinga, GET President

BPI and GET executives host an inaugural ride of the electric vehicle.

The EV features a wider body and plenty of passenger room for 30 people compared with traditional shuttles that can only accommodate and ferry up to 15 passengers at a time.

In terms of social inclusivity, the EV has a wheelchair ramp that allows persons with disabilities (PWDs) to easily board and alight the vehicle. The ramp also allows easier boarding for people carrying bikes and other wheeled items. 

BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco and GET President Freddie Tinga (center) launched the electric vehicle service for BPI employees. With them are (from left): Severino Sumulong, GET Director of Legal Services; Frankie Endriga, GET Chief Operating Officer; Anthony Dy, GET Managing Director; Jaime Zobel Urquijo, BPI Director and Ayala Corporation Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer; Eugenio Mercado, BPI Head of Enterprise Operations; and Carlo Poblete, BPI Head of Facilities Services and Management.

The EV also harnesses an intelligent fleet management system, with features such as GPS tracking, route optimization, and maintenance alert which can be accessed through the GETPASS App.

The initiative mirrors BPI’s commitment to sustainability and continuous efforts to cultivate and entrench a sustainability mindset within the organization.

In 2023, BPI won 14 ESG-focused awards from foreign and Philippine award-giving bodies, including Finance Asia, Global Finance, The Asset, and Asiamoney. In 2022, the Bank also won 10 sustainability-themed awards. 

Kyndryl and BPI celebrate 10 years of strategic partnership

Photo shows (from left): Wilson Go, Kyndryl Philippines Managing Director; Andrew Lim, Kyndryl ASEAN Managing Director; TG Limcaoco, BPI President and CEO; Elly Keinan, Kyndryl Global Group President; and Mariels Winhoffer, Kyndryl Global Business Development Leader

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), a leading provider of financial services and an industry pillar in the Philippines, commemorate the 10^th anniversary of their technology infrastructure services partnership that underpins BPI’s robust IT governance framework.

Over the past decade, BPI made significant advancements across its Data Center Operations, Server and Storage Management, IT Service Desk, Security Management, and Asset Management operations, fine-tuning standard procedures and tools across its organization. Through its partnership with Kyndryl, BPI, with its substantial network of 752 branches across the country, has grown its technical talent and is now taking advantage of advanced technology solutions to foster its ongoing digital transformation and is working to create a seamless customer experience for its clientele.

“Our continued collaboration with Kyndryl underscores our shared commitment to digital transformation, aimed at enhancing customer experience and ensuring data management and protection. As a testament to our dedication to digitalization and customer obsession, we at BPI continue to innovate banking products and platforms as part of our mission to help build a better Philippines – one family, one community at a time.” ~Alex Seminiano, BPI Chief Technology Officer

Kyndryl is investing in the Philippines and is committed to continuing to enhance its local delivery capabilities to support customers in the Philippines and abroad as they accelerate their plans to modernize, digitally transform and build operational resiliency. As the nation continues to grow its digital competitiveness, Kyndryl in collaboration with BPI, is focused on the education, skill advancement and experience of its local workforce to take advantage of the latest technologies in the areas of automation, cloud, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

"We are deeply honoured to be a strategic technology partner for BPI over the past ten years and remain fully committed to helping them continuously transform for a bright digital future. At Kyndryl, we are excited to do our part to contribute to the deep base of homegrown technical talent in the Philippines and we look forward to collaborating with BPI to build a community of skilled technical experts in new areas such as automation and cloud modernization services.” ~Wilson Go, Managing Director of Kyndryl Philippines

About BPI

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (PSE: BPI), is the first bank in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. BPI is licensed as a universal bank by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to provide a diverse range of financial services: deposit taking and cash management, payments, lending and leasing, asset management, bancassurance, investment banking, securities brokerage, and foreign exchange and capital markets. BPI has significant financial strength, with robust Tier 1 capital adequacy ratios and profitability, underpinned by stringent compliance and risk management regimes. For more information, visit www.bpi.com.ph.

 

About Kyndryl

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages, and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit  www.kyndryl.com.

Sy receives warm welcome from BPI family

The 31st SEA Games silver medalist and BPI Unibanker Marie Alexis Sy was welcomed with warm cheers as she paid a courtesy visit recently to BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco at the company’s head office in Makati City.

“The full support of BPI and Ayala Corporation has been really overwhelming. That is why I make sure to find a balance between work and sport to show them that even though I am an athlete, I can still do well at work. I want to give back to the company and my workmates because they supported my bowling career. We want to make you all proud that we are Filipinos. What we have accomplished is not just ours but it’s for the whole country.” ~Marie Alexis Sy, 31st SEA Games silver medalist and BPI Unibanker

Limcaoco said BPI takes pride in Sy’s relentless effort and perseverance in effectively managing her responsibilities as an athlete and as a BPI Unibanker.

“We are immensely proud of Alexis for bringing glory to our country and to BPI. She works a full-time banking job, helping large corporations grow, and at the same time, excels in a sport that requires discipline, strength and mental focus. Alexis earned our respect, and we will continue to support her.” ~TG Limcaoco, CEO and BPI President

Sy is currently a Cebu-based marketing associate under BPI’s Corporate Banking group.