Wonders unfold when empowered women like Mariana Zobel de Ayala and Ginbee Go provide others with the opportunities to pursue their dreams and live their best lives.
This is an excerpt from Lifestyle Asia’s November 2023 Issue.
Steward Of Hope
How Mariana Zobel de Ayala honors BPI’s promise of taking care of the things that matter so you can focus on those that truly do.
For Lifestyle Asia’s Power Issue, we caught up with Mariana Zobel de Ayala for a glimpse into her life–from work and family, to everything in between.
HIGHER CALLING
Mariana shares that what makes her truly proud of BPI is their commitment to building a better Philippines, one family, one community at a time: “What I feel differentiates us is an honest desire to ensure every Filipino can achieve financial wellness. As a financial institution, we see ourselves as an enabler–a bridge to Filipinos achieving their own goals and dreams.”
She enthuses, “Where I think we have worked hard to ensure our relevance is the fact that we have many versions of BPI–to be able to cater to the diverse needs of Filipinos. We are committed to delivering personalized advice and solutions to suit the exact needs of each of our clients. Gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all banking experience.”
For 172 years, BPI has been providing trusted financial advice to its clients. Its goal to help Filipinos achieve financial wellness when BPI first started continues today. Mariana clarifies, “What may have changed is the fact that we have expanded our target market coverage–we now cater to a much wider base of Filipinos than ever before.”
PROFESSIONAL EVOLUTION
As the former senior vice president for BPI and currently the new head of leasing and hospitality for Ayala Land, Mariana is quite the busy executive to say the least. She drives marketing and digital platforms for the consumer bank while serving as a board director for several Ayala Group companies, across Ayala Land, AC Health, Ayala Group’s ACTIVE Fund and BPI’s Asset Management and Trust Company. She was named a board advisor for Asia Partners, as well as board director of U-Go, which aims to drive education equality in emerging markets through scholarship grants to women pursuing university education.
Mariana shares, “I am most productive in the morning–and not as sharp at night. With that, I tend to start my day early, at around 5:30 A.M. or so and I devote some time to cleaning up emails or putting the finishing touches on a presentation or memo before I head into the office. I really should be working out, though!”
She adds, “The days can differ–but generally, we have a number of internal meetings–alignments on strategy, updates to our leadership on commitments and goals–and some meetings with external partners or vendors. Evenings can be busy as well–whether touching base with clients or stakeholders, or engagement events with our team. I try to take a pass at my to-do list for the week to make sure I stay focused on what I need to deliver–things can get hectic as the week goes on, and it helps to stay focused on the big priorities.”
The eldest child of Jaime and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Zobel de Ayala, Mariana first worked for J.P. Morgan in New York City after graduating from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics). She returned to Manila 10 years ago and worked for Ayala Corporation and Ayala Land. After receiving her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD in Singapore, she was excited about the strategy and vision of BPI under then CEO Bong Consing, and now TG Limcaoco. She thought it would be an interesting place to learn about capturing the choice and attention of the evolving Filipino consumer.
Prior to joining BPI, Mariana was the deputy head of Ayala Malls, a subsidiary of Ayala Land responsible for just under two million square meters in leasable retail space around the Philippines. Before this, she worked in project development for Alveo Land, and as a corporate strategy and business development associate with Ayala Corporation, supporting portfolio review across the conglomerate as well as business development interest in the healthcare sector.
SURMOUNTING SETBACKS
On some of the challenges she faces, “People often ask about the pressures of being an eighth generation family member working for a 189-year-old business (Ayala Corporation). What adds to that is the fact that Ayala is lucky to have many incredible and experienced professional executives–and the challenge remains for us as family executives, to be able to add value to Ayala, given the level and depth of experience and expertise that Ayala’s professional management brings.”
She reveals one of the biggest difficulties about being a leader, “Continuing to motivate and excite the team–something that keeps me up at night.”
On what values guide her leadership, Mariana says, “I’ve been told I am quite straightforward and honest–I try to work overtime to develop trust with those I work with, so that the honesty can be taken at face value rather than misinterpreted.”
Amidst various adversity and obstacles, she turns to the wisdom of those who have paved the way: “My father, uncle, and grandfather have led us by example–they have always chosen the path of doing the “right” thing–even in the most challenging times, they protect their values and integrity above all.”
Mariana adds that one of the biggest challenges in the banking industry is differentiation. She explains, “Part of the reason why we feel strongly about the hyper- personalization approach we are taking at BPI, is to be able to ensure we are catering to the needs of the exact clients we are serving–and these differ greatly depending on lifestage, and complexity of needs.”
HOW BPI GOLD IS COMMITTED TO YOUR WELLBEING
Looking to the future, Mariana is extremely excited and proud of BPI Gold. She shares, “Together with Team BPI, we are excited to have rolled out different versions of the BPI experience across the Consumer Bank. We feel strongly about providing a personalized experience– tailored to the needs of each of our diverse set of clients. The launch of BPI Gold is part of that effort– where we want to be able to serve our clients with more complex needs, appropriately.”
BPI Gold is a manifestation of the bank’s commitment to their clients’ wellbeing so they may turn their wealth into enjoyment. Beyond a mere financial program, BPI Gold’s trusted financial advisors and exclusive privileges enable customers to merge the gap between success and happiness so they may finally begin enjoying the life they have worked so hard to build over the years. In a nutshell, BPI Gold is aligned with the company’s value proposition of taking care of the things that matter so customers can focus on those that truly do.
Text by MAWI FOJAS DE OCAMPO
Photos by SHAIRA LUNA
Sittings Editor: CANDY DIZON
Creative Direction by PAOLO TORIO
Art Direction by MARC YELLOW
Styling by ROKO ARCEO, assisted by DENIELLE KHAN
Makeup by MAYESA DELOS SANTOS, assisted by LORIBEL BERRERA
Hair by MONG AMADO
Shoot coordination: MAE TALAID
READ ALSO: Fashion Transition: Tweetie De Leon-Gonzalez’s Transition From Model To Designer
Woman For All
Ginbee Go gives a glimpse into what it takes to transform lives by redefining the gold standard of banking while still finding time for herself, her loved ones, and her faith.
Ginbee Go normally starts her day early, waking up at 6:00 AM then heading out for a jog while praying the rosary. This habit gives a general idea of the type of person the executive vice president of BPI is: never one to take her time for granted. The rest of her day follows a similar pattern as she deftly cycles through tasks and personal matters with the precision and consistency of clockwork.
On her way to the office, Ginbee starts checking her emails. Then, she attends various meetings, still approving and replying to correspondences in between the steady stream of conferences. When there aren’t lunch meetings, she attends masses in the chapel on Wednesdays and Fridays. Every other Friday, she visits various BPI branches with her team to exchange ideas and suggestions with employees. After work, barring any heavy traffic, she goes to Electric Studio to do some indoor cycling and rhythm boxing (but not before answering more emails on the road). Finally, she heads back home, catching up with her family, preparing for the next work day, and always capping the day off with prayer.
The schedule is certainly a busy one, to say the least. One may wonder how anyone could manage running the consumer banking group of one of the Philippines’ biggest banks (and its oldest) while still finding time for themselves and their loved ones. Yet she handles it all with the grace and determination of a woman who seeks to make life better for everyone.
BANKING FOR THE COUNTRY
Ginbee has been working in BPI for two decades, which makes a lot of sense. Her values align perfectly with the country’s oldest banking institution. When the company was established 172 years ago, it acted like a central bank, printing notes and funding a variety of infrastructure projects like the first railroad, steamship service, telephone network, and electric utilities. Though much has changed since then, BPI’s commitment to nation-building has remained the same, simply taking on new forms with the rise of technology. Ultimately, the bank seeks to enable economic development and progress by helping Filipinos achieve their dreams through accessible and innovative financial solutions—and Ginbee wants to do the same with her career.
“We know money isn’t the end all and be all. It is only the means to living a life that matters,” she tells Lifestyle Asia in an exclusive interview. “I love how banking has a direct ability to make a difference on the economy and the lives of the customers we serve. My life purpose is to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to do that everyday in my work.”
BPI continues to stay relevant by responding quickly and effectively to significant changes
in the market and customer needs. In much the same way, Ginbee focuses on the people, first and foremost, when leading her team and making decisions. For her, “To build the business, you need to build the people” is one of her most important takeaways from years of experience. Everything she does at work, she does to make life easier and the future brighter for every Filipino. She discussed how she appreciates the idea of “Customer Capitalism,” put forth by writer Fred Reichheld in his book Winning on Purpose.
“[Its purpose] is anchored on the customer, rather than profit, and this keystone metric is the Net Promoter Score that really is focused on enriching customers’ lives by delivering more value that makes them happy, which then makes for profits that are deserved,” she explains.
MORE THAN MONEY
BPI’s latest offering, BPI Gold, encapsulates Ginbee’s desire to help clients throughout every stage of their lives. It provides customers with a bespoke wealth management program that caters to the most intricate of financial needs, offering personalized advice to not only help clients reach their financial goals, but also relish the journey towards these objectives.
“At BPI Gold, we understand that wealth goes beyond the numbers on a balance sheet. It’s about savoring those precious moments in life that you’ve worked so hard to achieve,” shared Ginbee in a recent gathering with clients. “After all, wealth isn’t wealth until you enjoy it.”
Individuals in the BPI Gold program will have a dedicated relationship manager (RM) as their trusted partner, working closely with them to craft a customized financial roadmap that grows and protects their wealth.”
“Your dedicated RM is also among the most seasoned in the bank,” shared Ginbee during the event. “[They] will spend even more time with you to understand your unique needs and preferences and provide tailored-fit advice to further empower and guide you along the path of not just security, but more so financial wellness, so you may enjoy the fruits of your hard work.”
BPI’s commitment to managing a limited client portfolio guarantees that customers receive enhanced engagements and in-depth advisory services.The RM will also be working alongside a team of specialists in investment, loans, and insurance to create a well-rounded support system for clients, so they can savor their adventures without any worries.
Exclusive and premium experiences are touchstone parts of the BPI Gold program. Clients can enjoy ease of access with a bank that comes to them. BPI offers a dedicated 24/7 phone banking line for immediate support, as well as an app that offers a seamless and easy banking experience, regardless of customer location. Privileges and product offerings have been specially curated for BPI Gold clients’ more discerning tastes. After all, when convenience becomes the norm, luxury takes on a whole new meaning, redefining the gold standard for banking.
FAMILY, FAITH, AND SELF-CARE
Though Ginbee is certainly accomplishing significant career goals, she hasn’t forgotten the value of family and faith. Despite her busy schedule, she makes it a point to carve out time for herself, her family, and of course, God.
Ginbee is a wife and mother of two children, as well as the owner of two mini Schnauzers. She and her husband, Jeff, just celebrated their silver anniversary. They share a 21-year-old son who is in his last year of university and a 17-year-old daughter who is in her final year of high school. Though both Ginbee and Jeff lead organizations, they strive to be present for their children. Even when one of them can’t attend certain events, they try to find ways to ensure that the other is available.
So what’s her key to a happy family dynamic? Plenty of communication, as with most healthy relationships.
“The key is building a family environment that is supportive of each member’s dreams and aspirations. I am truly blessed in this regard. We share stories about work and school—our experiences, successes, and challenges. We then talk about what we have learned and how we resolve or overcome these struggles,” says Ginbee. “By doing so, we become more understanding of each other’s situation and give leeway for instances when we cannot be physically present, because we are always there for each other in high cheering spirits.”
She adds: “Our [her and her husband’s] dreams now revolve around our children’s future and praying for their success in life—more specifically, a career that gives them meaning and a loving family.”
Quality time for the family usually involves eating out at their favorite restaurants and plenty of traveling, both locally and internationally. Ginbee shares how they enjoy visiting Baguio during weekend respites for its cooler weather. At least once a year, all of them travel abroad; New York is a particular favorite (Ginbee states that they love watching Broadway shows), though she and Jeff recently visited Reykjavik, Iceland for their 25th anniversary.
Every Saturday and Sunday morning, Ginbee and Jeff go rhythm boxing together to stay fit, with grocery shopping in the afternoons. She values time for herself as well, where she goes out with friends for special occasions, visits the salon or spa, reads books, and watches shows or films on Netflix. Prayer is a constant in her routine, as is working out in different ways.
“You cannot give what you don’t have. So, you need to love yourself first before you can shower your family with love,” she explains. “It is important to stay healthy and well. I lost both my parents to cancer before they even turned 60. This was a wake-up call for me if I wish to be there during the most important milestones of our children. So, I committed to living a healthy life—to eat well, to exercise, and to find time to relax.”
Read more by purchasing a copy of the Lifestyle Asia November 2023 magazine via SariSari.shopping or select newsstands in National Bookstore and Fully Booked. Subscribe to the E-Magazine via Readly, Magzter, and Press Reader.
Text by PILAR GONZALEZ
Photos by SHAIRA LUNA
Sittings Editor: CANDY DIZON
Creative Direction by PAOLO TORIO
Art Direction by MARC YELLOW
Styling by ROKO ARCEO, assisted by DENIELLE KHAN
Makeup by MAYESA DELOS SANTOS, assisted by LORIBEL BERRERA
Hair by MONG AMADO
Shoot coordination: MAE TALAID
