The power of learning your way to the top 

Unlike many successful finance executives, Angelica “Jikee” Reyes, Head of Trust Banking Group at Metrobank, followed a path that some might conveniently label as job-hopping.

Twelve jobs might sound like too much for most people. Then again, if done right, it could be a strategy for rapid learning and network building.

When she graduated with a degree in Management Economics from Ateneo de Manila University in 1994, Jikee was uncertain about what to do.

Well, somebody made the decision for her. At that time, a leading investment house was looking for young, sharp minds from Ateneo, and Jikee happened to be in the top 10 of her department.

“I hadn’t even started the job hunt yet, but they invited me to come in as an economic analyst,” she recalled.

“I didn’t even know what the job entailed. I just went for it. But I was lucky because the seniors there were very generous with their knowledge, like big sisters and brothers. Within a few months, an opportunity came up to move from an analyst to a client-facing role. Again, I went for it.”

That was the beginning of her circuitous but purposeful career path. She took on a financial advisory job next, then joined a group that launched a foreign bank subsidiary. In that bank, she became an operations officer, risk manager, and corporate banker. She took on other jobs in various institutions, taking a gamble in most of them.

Curious, gritty fish

The question for her was, “Do I become a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big one? I didn’t know. I just wanted to be a fish,” she quipped.

But she was a very curious and gritty fish. There were many detours, but they were always driven by learning.

“I had to learn on my own. Except for my first few months in the industry, I had no structured training programs to prepare me for the jobs I took on. I had to own my development and career progression. I completed my master’s degree and the CFA program before I turned 30. I sought out bosses, mentors, and peers to learn from.” she said.

This learning mindset shaped her journey. Jikee eventually took on more roles that spanned corporate treasury, capital markets origination, structuring, sales, bank treasury, and trust. Senior leadership came relatively early in her career when she was just 34 and working for a foreign bank.

She wasn’t guided by titles or ambition but by the desire to keep stretching—whether that meant starting up a new treasury desk in a telecom company, growing a sales team from eight to 180, or transitioning from treasury head to trust head at Metrobank.

Never stop learning

“I didn’t say yes to jobs because I was ready,” she said. “I said yes because I knew I’d figure it out—and I never wanted to stop learning.”

Today, as Head of Metrobank’s Trust Banking Group, Jikee leads a group where all eight heads happen to be women. “It wasn’t by design,” she said. “They were just the right people for the job.”

When asked about her experience as a female leader, she said: “For me, it’s always been about merit—pagalingan tayo (we compete based on skill). I never felt I had to break a glass ceiling. Maybe I was just lucky with my institutions and bosses.”

She describes her leadership style as anchored in empathy, listening, and trust, which became especially crucial during the pandemic. “During that tough period, they needed their bosses to be human,” she said.

Knowing your “why”

Now, as Metrobank embraces a future powered by digital and AI, Jikee remains focused on the human side of transformation. “Technology will change how we serve,” she said, “but it won’t change why we serve.”

For many women across Metrobank navigating their journeys, Jikee’s story offers a quiet but powerful message: you don’t need to have it all figured out to succeed.

“Know your strengths and build on them as you choose your track in finance. Don’t make it about the fancy titles, but rather the highest impact you can make on the organization and your people. The learning doesn’t stop,” she said.

ANTHONY O. ALCANTARA is the editor-in-chief of Wealth Insights. He has extensive experience in strategic communications and holds a master’s degree in Technology Management from the University of the Philippines. When not at work, he goes out on epic adventures with his family, practices Aikido, and sings in a church choir.