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East West Banking Corporation (EastWest) marked the graduation of over 80 bankers from the Singapore Management University (SMU) Wealth Management Programme, reinforcing the Bank’s strategic investment in talent development and client-centered advisory excellence.
The five-month executive learning program brought together participants from across the Bank and its affiliates. Designed in partnership with SMU Executive Development, the program curriculum focused on honing knowledge and skills around market and product mastery, portfolio construction, suitability, duty of care, stewardship, and high-stakes client conversations, helping EastWest bankers move from product-led conversations to trusted advisory relationships.
“When we began this partnership with SMU, we were making an investment in talent, in capability, and in the next generation of EastWest advisors,” said EastWest CEO Jerry G. Ngo. “EastWest invests in systems, platforms, and products. But our most important investment is in our people, because people build the relationships that define this Bank’s reputation.”
SMU Executive Development said the program was designed to help EastWest bankers connect technical expertise with stronger advisory judgment and client trust.
“The wealth management landscape requires advisors who can combine market knowledge, client insight, and ethical judgment,” said Eddie Tritton, Executive Director, SMU Executive Development. “We worked with EastWest to create a practical learning journey that helps participants apply technical concepts to real client situations, especially in moments where trust, suitability and long-term stewardship matter most.”
For the participants, the program strengthened both advisory confidence and client engagement discipline.
“The program reminded us that wealth management is about knowing what truly matters to the clients,” said Monina Delartmente, First Vice President and Head of Metro Manila South Region and Business Development. “We learned that a good advisor’s success is defined by how much peace of mind we give our client and how well we can protect them from unnecessary risks. And our impact will not be measured by returns alone, but by the trust our clients place in us.”
“Clients need people they can trust. Someone who understands their situation well enough to give honest, considered, and useful advice, even when the honest answer is to wait, to stay the course, or to do something they did not expect,” Ngo added. “That is what a trusted advisor does, and that is what this program was designed to build.”
The graduation also recognized outstanding project teams for demonstrating strong client understanding, portfolio logic, suitability discipline, and advisory judgment.
“Our aspiration is to develop Relationship Managers who can become the client’s trusted advisor across financial needs and life stages,” said Rafael S. Algarra Jr., Senior Executive Vice President and Head of Financial Markets and Wealth Management. “That means being able to address not just investments, but broader aspirations such as liquidity, protection, income, growth, retirement, education, business needs, succession, estate planning, and wealth transfer.”
The EastWest–SMU Wealth Management Program is part of the Bank’s broader push to strengthen its wealth management business, deepen client relationships, and build an advisory culture anchored on trust, suitability, and long-term stewardship.
