ING supports FINEX search for financial excellence

MANILA, Philippines - ING Bank, the world leader in banking, insurance, and investment services, joins hands once again with the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) to recognize the country’s most outstanding Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with the fourth CFO of the Year Awards.

The annual CFO of the Year Awards honor CFOs who have provided outstanding contributions to their company’s success and who have shown commendable leadership in the field of finance. Among the criteria nominees must manifest are a sound ethical compass, clarity and focus, adaptability, and effective communication skills.

“Outstanding CFOs must be very strategic and must have integrity. However, with the ever-changing role of CFOs, they must now also be savvy enough to not only craft the correct message but also be able to articulate it well,” said Consuelo Garcia, managing director and country head of ING Bank.

FINEX president Greg Navarro also stresses how possessing emotional self-confidence is an important trait of today’s CFOs.

“Self-confidence allows CFOs to properly guide and motivate those in their team. They have to be able to command loyalty and trust among their peers and at the same time be inspirational,” Navarro said.

Through the awards, ING, together with FINEX, seeks to continue the tradition of excellence, leadership, and integrity that will inspire a legacy that future generations of financial leaders can aspire for, and at the same time, encourage the influx of foreign investments.

“ING is committed to supporting market opportunities and encourage investments to the Philippines,” Garcia said. “A well-run company with a very good CFO presents a very good attraction to investors who are considering the country.”

The CFO of the Year Awards is open to all CFOs belonging to private and government-owned and controlled corporations and financial institutions in the Philippines. Candidates will be evaluated based on the ING-FINEX set criteria and on their performance for financial year 2009.

For more information, contact the FINEX secretariat at 811-4052 or visit www.finex.org.ph.