Markets Media spoke with Kathleen Huang-Hernandez, Cash Product Head & Head Transaction Banking, Philippines, Standard Chartered Bank, who won Excellence in Banking at the 2025 Women in Finance Asia Awards.

What does this recognition mean to you personally and in the context of the Philippine banking landscape?

This recognition is special to me. Not only is it a personal milestone, but it serves as a reminder that doing what is right—despite difficulty, opposition, and headwinds, will not go unnoticed. I strive to achieve excellence in everything I do. To me, excellence is not about achieving perfection. It’s about never settling for mediocrity, not being content with “just good enough,” and consistently working to achieve the best possible outcomes with the resources at hand. In the context of the rapidly evolving Philippine banking landscape, keeping abreast of change, remaining relevant to our clients, and delivering the right products and services can be challenging. This recognition is an affirmation of the hard work and dedication I put in—not only to my role within the bank but also to the broader growth and progress of the Philippine banking industry.

Payments and transaction banking have undergone rapid transformation. What key strategies or initiatives do you believe positioned your team for success?

We begin with the client in mind — understanding their business and helping them anticipate future needs in light of evolving technology and regulatory changes. This approach enables us to design products that are not only scalable but also flexible enough to be tweaked, customized, and tailored to each client’s unique workflow or requirements. Within the team, it’s likewise important that we move with the same cadence — leveraging each other’s strengths and working toward a shared goal. Just like in team sports, where you play to win as a team rather than for individual gain, the same principle applies at work. We collaborate as a team and keep each other’s best interests in mind.

What’s been the biggest challenge in driving innovation in a developing payments ecosystem like the Philippines, and how have you worked to overcome it?

I find that the biggest challenge in driving innovation in a developing payments ecosystem is establishing trust, confidence, and the reliability of new payment systems. Over the past few years, I have devoted time to working with regulators and other industry stakeholders to promote a transparent and consistent user experience for both consumer and corporate customers, which is critical to addressing these challenges. In addition to this, at Standard Chartered, we do our part in educating our customers about the latest developments in the payments space, enabling them to adopt and maximize the benefits and features of each rollout.

Can you share a milestone or breakthrough project in your role that you’re particularly proud of — and what impact did it have on clients or the industry?

Throughout my journey in Standard Chartered, one of the more challenging projects was launching Instant Payments during the pandemic. This brought about many new challenges- remote working, transitioning to ISO 20022 messaging, and enabling API connectivity. We were among the first few participants in the industry to implement ISO 20022 messaging with API connectivity for InstaPay. Being one of the pioneers meant learning as we went and remaining nimble to make immediate adjustments when necessary. This was in addition to collaborating with cross-functional teams located in different regions and time zones. Despite the difficulties, the rewards of implementing this initiative far outweighed the challenges. Through our participation, we have helped our clients transition from cash to digital collections -reducing the costs typically associated with handling and holding cash, while enabling quicker access to funds, and providing their customers the convenience to pay remotely. Our participation in Instant Payments has also given clients the flexibility to make payments 24×7, not only into bank accounts, but also into e-wallets and bank-issued cash cards -an especially critical feature during the disbursement of relief funds to remote areas affected by calamities.

Leadership in banking today means guiding teams through change. What’s your approach to building resilient, agile teams in a fast-evolving environment?

I place a strong emphasis on learning—learning what the clients’ priorities are and what affects their ability to deliver on those priorities; learning about developments and trends in the industry, both domestically and regionally, to help visualize where things are headed; learning about the changing regulatory landscape and how new regulations will impact the way we operate; learning the processes that interface with our own to gain a holistic view of what it takes to deliver our products and services; and learning from mistakes. I always tell my team that it’s okay to make mistakes—the important thing is to learn from them and avoid repeating the same ones. My son, who is a competitive golfer, said it best when he said – “failure is part of the race, never the finish line”.

When we adopt a mindset of continuous learning and an understanding of how things are connected, it helps us better anticipate the impact of change. It becomes easier to identify which areas are affected, what may change, and—more importantly—what opportunities may arise.

What advice would you offer to young women aspiring to lead in banking, fintech, or payments across the region?

Integrity, authenticity, tenacity, and resilience—these words have been my guiding principles.

Integrity builds trust, while authenticity builds relationships. It’s easy to learn technical skills, but difficult to earn the respect and trust of others.

The journey to excellence is not an easy path. It is filled with challenges and ambiguity. Those who get ahead are brave enough to face failure and have the tenacity and resilience to stand up and press forward after each fall.

So be a person of integrity, let your authenticity and sincerity shine through, be tenacious and unrelenting in the face of ambiguity and change, and stay resilient at all times.

I’d like to borrow a quote from my late granduncle, Washington SyCip, who once said – “Never give up. Always try to make things better. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Strive for excellence. Always pursue perfection. And you will find success.”