In the bustling tech landscape of the Philippines, Lito Villanueva’s name stands prominent for redefining digital transformation and inclusive finance at scale:. As the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer at RCBC, Villanueva has been the driving force behind a revolutionary digital evolution, introducing groundbreaking innovations that have set new benchmarks in the financial industry.
Villanueva's visionary leadership has propelled RCBC to unparalleled heights, garnering accolades such as the prestigious Asiamoney’s Best Bank for Digital award, consecutively clinched from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, RCBC's innovation prowess was acknowledged by Gartner’s Eye for Innovation and YouTube’s Challenger award, solidifying its status as a pioneer in the digital banking sphere.
Amidst a plethora of achievements, Villanueva himself has been celebrated as a luminary in the tech domain. Notably, he was honoured with a Circle of Excellence Award in the Asia CEO Global Filipino Executive of the Year. His prowess extends to LinkedIn, where he earned a spot among The Philippines’ Top 30 Leaders and received the prestigious Top Finance Leader award in the LinkedIn Leadership Catalysts Awards for 2023. NewsBiz Asia crowned him as the “Mr. FinTech of the Philippines,” showcasing his indelible mark in the finance and tech sectors.
Villanueva's influence reverberates beyond his executive role. He is the Founding Chairman of Fintech Alliance.PH and the Global Chairman of the Alliance of Digital Finance Associations, embodying his commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation in the fintech realm. Notably, he is also a trustee at the Philippine Blockchain Council, Asia FinTech Alliance, and an advisory board member at the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform.
His contributions extend to publications too, with the award-winning Inclusive Digital Finance Report among his authored works. His regular business column ‘Bytes’ in the Philippine Star further amplifies his expertise and insights into the tech and finance domains.
Villanueva’s tenure at RCBC are the transformative innovations that reshaped the bank's trajectory. Under his guidance, RCBC introduced pioneering digital solutions, including the acclaimed RCBC DiskarTech app, a multilingual financial inclusion super app; RCBC ATM Go, the nation's first community-based handheld ATM device which covers 100% of provinces nationwide; RCBC Pulz, an all-in-one digital banking app that offers the widest range of digital services; and RCBC Moneybela Barangayan Banking, bridging geographical divides, country’s first physical-digital or unique phygital banking experience serving geographically distant and disadvantaged and conflict areas of the country.
These innovations propelled RCBC to become the fastest-growing bank in the Philippines, a remarkable feat that has now secured its position as the country’s 5th largest bank in terms of assets.
Looking ahead, Villanueva’s vision extends to scaling digital transformation initiatives and forging more partnerships with local government units, national agencies, and NGOs to advance shared advocacies. His commitment to pioneering innovations that drive inclusive finance and transform the digital landscape continues to shape a brighter future for RCBC and the Philippine financial industry at large.
Lito Villanueva's narrative isn’t just a story—it’s a testament to unwavering determination, groundbreaking innovation, and a relentless pursuit of transforming the future of finance in the digital age.
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