Bank of the Philippine Islands hailed at Asian Management Excellence Awards 2025 with two wins

BPI's leadership is centred on innovation, with a strong focus on creating positive impacts for both employees and customers.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), one of the largest banks in the Philippines, has been honoured with two major accolades at the coveted Asian Management Excellence Awards 2025. These awards recognise BPI's success in redefining employee engagement within the company, resulting in a more empowered workforce and a culture where innovation, collaboration, and learning have become central to success.

This achievement is credited to the transformative leadership of Vice President and Retail Lending and Bancassurance Group Head, Dexter Lloyd Cuajotor. Known for his innovative approach and strong belief in having engaged employees, Cuajotor has overseen historic growth in the group and spearheaded initiatives that have redefined how BPI engages with its employees, customers, and communities.

Under his leadership, retail loans experienced an average year-on-year loan release increase of 32%, achieved through a unified mission and a focus on customer delight, data-driven decision-making, digital transformation, and innovative product and service offerings.

Cuajotor knows that his strength lies in his team, so he has implemented several management programmes, including the Lead Coordinators Network, which has enabled quick cross-silo collaboration across the group's nine divisions and 22 locations.

This initiative has fostered a close-knit and empowered network of leaders who champion the group's mission, engage employees locally, and coordinate relief efforts, including finding missing employees during typhoons.

He has also launched the nationwide volunteerism programme BPI ICare IShare, which involves BPI units across the Philippines conducting simultaneous activities in various communities. In the last cycle, over 120 volunteers have brought joy to more than 300 beneficiaries.

Together with his team, the group has also introduced innovative programmes aimed at financial inclusion and sustainability. Notable amongst these are BPI MyBahay, the first down-market commercial bank housing loan in the Philippines designed for low-income earners, and BPI Green Solutions, the first retail loan sustainability suite in the country. These programs have supported over 6,000 Filipino families and generated PHP6.5b in loans within two years.

One of the bank’s most notable initiatives is the Innovation Lab, which empowers employees to ideate, collaborate, and implement solutions within 60 days in a controlled and safe environment.

At the heart of the Innovation Lab is a framework centred around building an innovation culture and deep learning. This approach focusses on being outcome-driven, customer-focussed, and agile. It has proven highly effective in fostering a more engaged and empowered workforce.

In just 24 months, it has enabled employees across all levels to launch over 100 impactful projects, enhancing both personal career fulfilment and organisational growth.

Employees participating in the Innovation Lab have also reported stronger career fulfilment, with many gaining clarity on their potential career paths and leadership opportunities within the organisation.

These remarkable initiatives earned BPI two major awards at the Asian Management Excellence Awards: Philippines Innovator of the Year - Banking and Philippines Employee Engagement of the Year - Banking.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards celebrates the region’s most outstanding leaders, innovators, and organisations for their exceptional achievements in areas such as employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellness initiatives. BPI’s recognition underscores its unwavering commitment to innovation, empowerment, and sustainable growth, driving a better future for its employees, customers, and the communities it serves.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].