ED Talks Live Returns with Season 4, Showcasing UnionBank’s Smart and Suave Executives
By: Martina Lucero
On June 11, 2024, the premiere of the fourth season of ED Talks: Conversations with Edwin Bautista took place at UnionBank Square’s 6th floor, with an enthusiastic live audience of over 75 UnionBankers. This season brings a new dimension to the video podcast, now featuring live audience participation to create a more engaging and immersive experience.
ED Talks has always been UnionBank President and CEO Edwin Bautista’s way of engaging, educating, and inspiring UnionBankers through insightful conversations with various UnionBank leaders. The live audience format enhances these interactions, fostering a deeper connection between the speakers and viewers.
The premiere episode, titled “The FinFluencer: Bold, Smart, and Self-Driven,” showcased UnionBank executives who exemplify intelligence and charisma, serving as role models for employees. These leaders shared their career journeys and discussed how they have built their professional brands, inspiring others and fostering a culture of Ubuntu, Magis, and Integrity within their teams. The audience gained practical insights into refining their personal brands to enhance their professional impact and contribute to building a great retail bank.
The featured executives were Jaime G., Erika G., Imelda J., Mellany S., Albert C, and Therese C. They shared stories from their careers before joining UnionBank, as well as their current roles within the organization, highlighting how their diverse experiences have influenced their professional journeys. Their narratives emphasized that it’s never too late to learn, evolve, and achieve significant milestones.
The executives also provided a glimpse into the fields they oversee within UnionBank, such as Open Finance, Marketing, Fintech, and Customer Experience. This gave the audience a snapshot of UnionBank’s diverse sectors and current business state.
One of the most compelling segments was when ERB asked the guests to reflect on their leadership styles and the kind of leaders they aspire to be. This discussion explored whether they preferred to be loved or feared as leaders and highlighted the impact of leadership on team success. While most of the guests leaned towards being loved, some also acknowledged the importance of inspiring a healthy level of fear.
Therese expressed her preference for being loved, saying, “It’s not because I want people to adore me, but because I want them to gravitate towards my leadership knowing they can grow and become future leaders through my guidance.”
Jaime, meanwhile, introduced the idea of respect as a balance between love and fear, stating, “When you’re respected, you’re loved for what you bring to the team, but you’re also expected to understand that the leader’s goals must be met, or there will be consequences.”
The first episode of ED Talks Season 4 was nothing short of insightful and inspiring, showcasing UnionBank leaders as positive role models. This not only encouraged UnionBankers to excel in their roles but also inspired them to make meaningful contributions to the Bank’s success. This alignment is particularly crucial as UnionBank continues its journey towards becoming a Great Retail Bank.
UnionBankers can now watch the first episode through VIVA Engage and Youtube.