“Learning never stops” – A chat with Peter de Guzman, Operations Area Manager/VP, Wells Fargo

It is not often that you get to sit down and chat with a busy leader in Wells Fargo. But with Peter de Guzman, Operations Area Manager/VP based in Manila, Philippines, it is an easy conversation.  We found him to be a keen listener, and a leader who seeks input from his team and enjoys developing leaders by equipping them with the right resources to make them successful. He believes that learning is a continuous journey and it is important to never be afraid to ask questions and seek help when required.

Here are some excerpts from our chat about his career with Wells Fargo, views on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, working through the pandemic, and career tips for potential candidates.

My Journey

I started my career 20 years ago at a pioneer third party outsourcer in Manila. I worked my way up the corporate ladder and eventually was given the opportunity to lead several businesses across multiple sites in the Philippines.  My foray into fintech was with a startup where I led the Philippines office and established Spanish-language support out of the Caribbean.

The opportunity to work at one of the largest financial institutions in the world attracted me to jump on the Wells Fargo stagecoach. Now, being a part of the transformation of this 169-year-old icon of global banking is what makes me look forward to coming to work. The bank is undergoing tremendous change at the moment and I am enjoying the dynamism.

Truly a "welcome difference"

Wells Fargo is true to its vision of building a diverse and inclusive culture. We are a great place to work, where – irrespective of background, gender, or level – everyone’s opinion matters.  I think it is an absolute human right for anyone to expect to be welcomed and be treated in a way that builds their self-esteem at their workplace. Each of us brings our own perspective based on our own individual circumstances and there is absolute value in the insight that perspective brings.

About Enterprise Complaints Management Office (ECMO)

ECMO is a crucial part of the bank. We are the highest level of escalation and a center of excellence in resolving customer complaints. I am proud to say that our team has an important part to play in rebuilding trust with our customers.

ECMO is responsible for consistently adhering to the requirements established in the Complaints Management Policy, Complaints Taxonomy, and also complying with laws, rules, regulations, and supervisory guidance related to complaints. Additionally, our teams are responsible for the intake, research, and resolution of all executive office escalated customer complaints in a consistent and standard process, building operational risk controls, providing root cause analysis of complaints, and owning and maintaining the Enterprise Complaints Management Platform (ECMP).

We have a dynamic work environment where each case is different from the last, allowing employees to exercise their judgment and detective skills as they research the facts of each case. They will get a chance to become experts on not just the processes of the bank, but also the regulations under which a major financial institution operates. There’s a learning curve, but we have supportive leaders who help our employees enhance their skills. It’s a unique role to the Philippines and I firmly believe that experience and success with ECMO will be a great career builder.

Opportunities with ECMO

We are currently expanding our complaint case research worker teams. These are the resources who actively research and resolve the executive office escalated customer complaints that we handle.

Typically, in potential candidates, we look for a history of reliability, an inquisitive mind that relishes the chance to make situations right for customers, openness to feedback, and also excellent communication (especially written) skills. Previous exposure to financial services and financial products is a plus, but not as important as previous work that had an emphasis on regulatory compliance.

One thing that many candidates fail to pay attention to while interviewing for this role, is the importance of being able to adhere to our policy and regulatory framework. There will be a lot to learn and digest and candidates should know that this is vital for success in this field.

Career Insights

My advice to candidates is to always be curious and seek opportunities to learn more. Whether you already have a background in financial services or not, there is always something new to learn and master. Also, you should learn how to take calculated risks; to be open to getting out of your comfort zone. Compensation is important, of course, but getting a chance to make a difference or to learn something new can be much more valuable for your career.

Adapting to the new work-life

The pandemic gave us, like many other businesses, an opportunity to rethink how we can keep on delivering the services that our U.S. partners — and most importantly, our customers — rely on. As such, the team is almost 100% working from home and will continue to do so until the organization deems that it is safe for us to return to our facilities.

We are enabled to do this by leveraging technology. Regular connect sessions via Zoom or conference calls provide a sense of rhythm and routine while we work under the current conditions. I also prioritize my one-on-one meetings as it helps create a human connection with my team, even if we are working apart from each other.

As part of the ongoing transformation of ECMO, we are seeing new and different types of work come to India and the Philippines. Apart from learning more about the company and our processes, I also am excited and inspired by the chance to provide opportunities to more people to join us at this great company.

Take a look at some of the opportunities available for you today.