ALUMNI FEATURE

February 2021

Rica Culata works at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) branch of the Bank of The Philippine Islands (BPI) as an Assistant Manager for Service Operations. BPI is the Philippines’ 4th largest bank in terms of assets and has a network of over 900 branches in the country.

Rica’s main responsibilities for her role include management of cash, approval of high-risk transactions, and supervision of the bank’s overall operations.

Rica was an intern with the Analyst team at Valens Research. She spent 3 months working with the team and after that, she spent another 3 months with the firm as a Consulting intern.

Being able to work in a bank has provided Rica with a stronger micro-perspective into the Philippines’ financial situation. This motivated her to offer customized financial products to different clients and teach them about financial literacy.

One of Rica’s biggest challenges was transitioning from school to work. More than having to adjust to BPI’s systems and operations at an accelerated speed, she also had to learn to exercise her leadership skills among her teammates. Instead of seeing that as a hindrance to achieving her goals, she used it as an opportunity to see the whole picture with fresh eyes and excel in her career.

Outside of work, Rica is passionate about performing arts. She has always been convinced that her first love is singing and dancing.