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 subsubsectors 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 recently 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 the BSP’s representative to the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) Plenary and Workstream 1 (Supervision/Micro-Prudential Practices) 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/fora 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.

Paolo Salcedo is the head of virtual banking in Maybank Philippines.

He built his banking career in EastWest Bank, Standard Chartered, and HSBC, covering different banking functions such as deposit and lending products, credit and debit cards usage, lending operations, operational risk, acquisitions and marketing.

Prior to banking, he also had stints in fast moving consumer goods (Colgate Palmolive) and Pharma (GlaxoSmithkline, Abbott) covering brand management and market research. He also taught marketing research in the University of the Philippines and was part of ACNielsen as a marketing research practitioner.

CISO
Maybank

Sabitha has 24 years of leadership and advisory experience in Banking/Financial Services & Payments domain, across North .America and APAC. She has advised CXOs and led initiatives around corporate & retail digital banking transformation, enterprise payment hubs, small business platforms, national scale real-time payments & clearing infrastructure etc. She is passionate about financial Inclusion and small business enablement to fuel economic growth.

As the Founder & CEO of Tonik (www.tonikbank.com), the first neobank in the Philippines, I'm committed to building a trustworthy and simple banking experience to drive financial inclusion in the Philippines, where the majority of the population remains without bank accounts and without access to formal credit. I am a serial entrepreneur, having previously launched and led/co-led FORUM, Credolab, FLOW, AsiaKredit, and Platinum Bank. Ever since starting my first business at 17, I've been passionate about entrepreneurship and problem-solving.


I appreciate that in life one needs to have balance. During a two-year sabbatical, I skippered my sailboat SV Blues across Asia. I'm also a musician (check me out on Spotify). And as a resident of eight countries across three continents, and a founder of YPO's Kyiv Chapter I've gained a unique understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives.


Throughout my career, I've received many accolades that I'm proud of, but what truly matters to me at this stage is the impact I make on people's lives through my managerial and creative problem-solving skills. I'm a "what you see is what you get" kind of guy who values honesty and open communication. I believe in fostering genuine connections and staying true to my principles, both personally and professionally.


If you're not just going to sell me stuff, feel free to reach out to connect, and let's explore opportunities to create meaningful change together in the world of fintech and beyond.

Gilbert has more than 11 years of combined professional experience in providing digital and IT transformation advisory, strategy and governance development, cyber maturity assessments, IT audit, risk consulting and more. He has a firm background in the government, private sector and international non-profit organizations.

He is also a contributing writer of the Philippine Star’s Top of Mind and Business Mirror’s KPMG Perspectives and has been a resource speaker for various topics on digital transformation, cybersecurity and audit of ISACA, IIA, PICPA, AAP, Escom, Ortus Club, and Digital Pilipinas, to name a few and also in various colleges and universities in the Philippines.

Esel Madrid is the SVP, Head of Data Science & AI Center of Excellence for Security Bank Corporation. Her team of data scientists and analysts are tasked with maximizing insights from data, and developing AI pilot use cases across the Bank. Prior to joining Security Bank, she headed the analytics and insights function at another top bank in the Philippines.

Prior to banking, Esel was a supply chain analyst for The Vitamin Shoppe in New Jersey, working with systems data to monitor and control inventory across the chain’s 700 stores. While working in the US, Esel completed her Masters in Data Analytics from the NYU Stern School of Business.

A graduate of UP Business Administration & Accountancy, Esel initially worked as a management consultant in the US, covering various industries such as airline, insurance, and financial services. She has dabbled in entrepreneurship, branding, and distributing fashionable rain boots in the Philippines.

Mica Diaz de Rivera is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in User Experience Design and Research. His background encompasses innovation, operations, and diverse project management roles, with an international scope. Mica is also academically accomplished with an Executive MBA and a Bachelor's in Computer Science, and actively engages as a speaker in the technology and design sectors.

Nate Clarke is a founding member of Singapore-based digital banking group Tyme where he dedicated the last ten years to designing, building, and operating digital banks in emerging markets. Now, Nate is looking to make high quality banking accessible and affordable to millions of Filipinos as President and CEO of GoTyme Bank, a joint venture between the Philippines’ Gokongwei group and Tyme.

Nate’s experience spans general management, product, and strategy to include leading the rollout of Tyme’s digital proposition in Indonesia, growing the MTN Mobile Money in South Africa to a customer base of 4 million, and most recently heading product and strategy for Tyme in the creation of Africa’s fastest growing bank.

Prior to joining Tyme, Nate spent six years in Deloitte Consulting US’s Strategy & Operations practice where he fostered a passion for financial inclusion while on a project in Tanzania. Nate holds a BA in Political Science with a minor in Economics from James Madison University.

At the launch of GoTyme Bank in October 2022, Nate said that GoTyme’s next-level banking experience will be able to address gaps in Filipino financial services. He mentioned that many Filipinos fall short of their financial potential because of lack of access to high-quality banking products and services, and that GoTyme Bank promises to unlock the financial potential of millions of Filipinos.

Lion Gacad is currently the Chief Experience Officer of GoTyme Bank and is leading the customer-centric culture and customer service strategy. A true champion of GoHuman, he firmly believes that the key to delivering unparalleled customer service and experience in banking lies in authentic conversations and meaningful engagement with customers by building synergies between the digital, AI and human experiences, shaping the future of customer engagement.

Lion’s 17-year journey is dedicated to crafting the best-in-class customer service and experience. Instead of conforming to the usual, Lion has embraced a revolutionary approach, placing customers at the heart of the business. Lion's experience includes the launch of Tala Philippines Customer Experience Operations, where he designed a lasting customer-centric culture, including an innovative credit-education style of collections. Recently, he also led the Business Operations of Cashalo Philippines where he took on the role of Director and Business Head. In this capacity, he led Customer Service, Experience, Process Management, Data-Privacy, Telesales and Marketing. Lion holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Saint Louis University.

Lion sees customer feedback not just as mere comments but as powerful data that fuels the engine of impactful change in the digital world of banking. His passion for exceptional service and his relentless pursuit of customer happiness are at the core of his principles which he believes leaves a lasting impact on every customer interaction.

Mr. Kenneth F. Catugas, a Chartered Information Technology Professional (CITP), is not only a distinguished Member of the British Computer Society but also the proud recipient of significant accolades in the IT sphere. In 2023, he was conferred with the "World CIO 200 – SEA Edition: Master Award." This achievement was further amplified when he was recognized as the "2023 Tech Innovator of the Year" by the esteemed World Financial Innovation Series Conference, emphasizing his innovative prowess and leadership in the realm of technology.

Currently, as the Head of the Information Technology at ING Hubs Philippines, Mr. Catugas oversees the complete spectrum of IT operations and innovation. Under his leadership, the division seamlessly caters to the intricate IT needs of over 4,500 ING staff members across two strategic office locations in the Philippines. Signifying the magnitude of this responsibility, it's worth noting that ING Bank is a global banking titan, ranking within the top 30 banks based on assets, as recognized by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Before ascending to this pivotal role at ING, Mr. Catugas showcased his IT prowess on a global stage. He served as the Head of Global IT Operation for Arcadis, a role that demanded flawless coordination of daily IT operations on a monumental scale, supporting a workforce of 28,000 Arcadis staff dispersed across 70 countries. His trajectory at Arcadis also saw him helm the Southeast Asia Region, where he managed IT operations across seven key Asian offices. Before this, he was instrumental as the Head of IT for Arcadis Philippines Operation, coordinating IT endeavors for over 2,500 employees in three locations.

Boasting an illustrious career spanning over 15 years, Mr. Catugas' expertise is not confined to just IT Infrastructure and Operations. He possesses profound knowledge in IT Management, IT Security, Digital Transformation, and Execution of large transformation programs, utilizing an array of state-of-the-art technologies. His diverse experience working across multiple sectors, from IT Consulting and Renewable Energy to FMCG, Management Consulting, and Shipping, endows him with a holistic perspective and an unparalleled depth of understanding in leveraging Information Technology to its maximum potential.

His academic endeavors have seen him train at prestigious institutions such as Northeastern University, University of Virginia, and University of London, ensuring he remains at the cutting edge of the ever- evolving world of IT.

She is currently the Chief Data Officer at GCash, where she leads the organization's data  strategy. Prior to that, she held various leadership positions at Thakral One, Globe Telecom, and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). Sara has over 24 years of experience across industries such as Telco, Financial Services and Public Sector. She has worked with organizations in the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia where her responsibilities have ranged from crafting analytics roadmap, leading end-to-end project implementations, building data science teams to managing stakeholders and championing data driven culture in organizations.

Sara is a strong advocate for the responsible and ethical use of data to solve business challenges and create value for organizations. 

Dan is a Business Transformation professional with nearly 2 decades of leadership experience in reshaping how organization's ORGANIZE, OPERATE and BEHAVE. Improving how organizations work and perform are his goals and passions. He understands that the key to any successful transformation venture is by starting with people and culture first - only then can organizations humanize the business for both the employee and the customer.

As an advocate of purpose-led innovation, he envisions a Philippines where families’ dreams come true, businesses flourish and the nation is admired. He would gladly partner with anyone who can help contribute to this vision as he believes that moving forward together is not about being number one anymore.

His experience spans various industries such as banking, utilities and insurance. By thinking in terms of becoming future-ready, rather than future-proof, keeps the organization’s door open to future innovation - developing new solutions, better answers, more advanced technology, and different ideas.

As a certified practitioner in Lean Six Sigma, Customer/User Experience and Design Thinking, he is now currently part of the leadership team in charge of the transformation efforts of one of the biggest banks in the world, ING.

Prior to joining RCBC, Carlos was already a seasoned information security (InfoSec) and financial technology (FinTech) professional with over 24 years’ experience in the fields of information technology (IT), payment card industry, and financial services. He held other posts such as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Special Projects. Carlos was primarily involved in the development of the company’s payment system infrastructure. During his stint, Carlos was also the lead in ensuring the company’s attainment of a PCI DSS certification in 2006.

Mark is a Risk Assurance Executive Director of PwC Philippines. He brings more
than 21 years of professional work experience, leading the cybersecurity and data
privacy practice. He has extensive experience in the areas of Information System
and Internal Auditing, Information and Cyber Security, IT Governance and Risk
Management, Data Privacy and Business Continuity, in diverse industries.

As PwC’s Executive Director, Mark primarily focuses on readiness assessments
covering the client’s IT, information security management, business continuity
management and data privacy. In addition, he leads the delivery of various
vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. He has a deep working
knowledge on the ISO family of standards on 27000 for information security, ISO
29000 for privacy, and ISO 22300 for business continuity.

Prior to joining PwC, Mark served as a Senior Manager for Advisory Services of
one of the Big 4 audit firms, and another Big 6 firm thereafter. He served as the
Data Protection Officer and led the consulting engagements in Data Privacy
compliance.

Mark is a Certified Public Accountant and holds several certifications from ISACA,
PECB, EXIN, CISCO and CompTIA among others.

Paul has over 25 years of Business and IT Strategy and consulting experience in Global transformation, Merger and Acquisition, Strategic Portfolio Management and Organization Change Management, managing large and complex initiative leading to product positioning and improve operations

Manages Global Business Transformation across different countries (US, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, Philippines, India and Australia). Work with various Executive Leaders (GM/COO/CFO) across markets to develop Business Transformation Strategy (Agile/NWOW), Identify Change Management Plan for successful and sustainable rollout.

​Profile Summary:

Sumit Kumar is a Partner & Managing Director in the Kuala Lumpur office. He is a member of FI and TA practice. He has a deep experience working with Financial Institutions across strategy, design and implementation and specializes in digital transformations, LEAN, Agile and PMIs.

​Relevant BCG experiences:

• Conducted retail cost transformation covering diagnostics and implementation support for an Indonesian bank
• Assisted with optimization of retail branch effectiveness and efficiency for an Indonesian bank
• Developed the strategic agenda on digitization analytics and fin tech ecosystem for a Malaysian bank, including end to end support from customer discovery to ideation and initial design
• Designed and piloted new commercial and SME model for a foreign exchange bank in Southeast Asia
• Developed 3-year groupwide strategy for a Malaysian bank
• Supported implementation of client's SME corporate plan strategy for a Indonesian bank
• Provided PMI support for a Malaysian universal bank
• Assisted with SME credit transformation, creating LEAN advantage for secured and unsecured lending products for a bank in Malaysia
• Developed a 3 year customer-centric growth and go-to-market strategy, includ. roadmap and action plan for a leading Thai life insurer, and developed strategy to win in affluent retirement segment
• Developed insurance strategy for an Indonesian bank

Erika has been in the banking and finance industry for over a decade holding various posts in both Manila and Hong Kong for Citibank, the French investment bank CA, and currently Union Bank of  the Philippines as Corporate Product Management Head. She is a SEC-certified Trader and Head of the Fintech Business Group, prior to joining the Transaction Banking Center, and has had vast  experience in Finance specifically in the field of Debt and Capital Markets, FX Sales Trading, Derivative Structuring and Corporate Banking and Investment Banking.

Erika might also be a familiar face as she was a News Anchor for Bloomberg Philippines and hosted the headlines for some of its daily business news programs.

She graduated with special mention from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Management and a minor in International Business. Erika also took further studies in Oxford University’s Saïd Business School under their Fintech Program.

Vicky Lee-Salas is concurrently the Asia Pacific FSO Risk Management Leader. She has over 25 years of experience in advisory, accounting and auditing. She ensures that SGV FSO professionals consistently provide quality service to over 500 FSO clients in the Philippines.

Vicky is pivotal in growing the Anti-Money Laundering practice of SGV. Under her leadership, SGV became the first institutional training provider accredited by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) in the Philippines. In addition, she represented the Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions in the Philippines’ 3rd Mutual Evaluation conducted by the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering.

Vicky earned a BS in Accounting and an MBA. She is a practicing Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.