EastWest Bank names 2 new board directors

MANILA, Philippines — Gotianun-led EastWest officially announced the appointment of top Filipino bankers Imelda Capistrano and Cristina Orbeta to its board of directors last January.

In addition to bringing the wisdom and strength of women to top positions in the bank, Capistrano and Orbeta also deliver crucial experience in governance and banking as EastWest continues to navigate the industry through the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the expectations of an economic rebound.

Capistrano, who has 40 years of experience in the industry, served as the director and country manager of American bank Wells Fargo for nearly 11 years. She has extensive expertise in various specializations in banking, including business development, governance, and offshore bank and representative office management. She has also had stints in Wachovia Bank, Standard Chartered Bank Australia, First Interstate Bank of California, and Unionbank.

Orbeta has over 42 years of valuable experience in banking and governance. She is currently a World Bank consultant for deposit insurance. She was executive vice president of PDIC for nine years until she assumed the top post as president and vice-chairman of the board from 2014 up to her retirement in 2017. She was previously a member/advisor to the boards of UCPB, UCPB Savings Bank, and UCPB Leasing. She brings with her expertise in various fields of banking such as borrowing and lending operations, loan negotiations, credit analysis, and risk management. Her five years stint with Credit Lyonnais Manila Offshore branch familiarized her with banking operations in an international setting.