INTERVIEW
Leading an International Team at a Korean FinTech Company:
Team Leader Andrea Jescia Aquilizan at SentBe
When there’s trouble communicating and coordinating ideas, everyone in an organization faces difficulties. That’s why the role of a leader is critical. The leader is the one who listens carefully to team members’ opinions and guides the team in the right direction. Andrea Jescia Aquilizan, who hails from the Philippines, works at SentBe, where she leads a team of international members and considers the customer’s perspective.
Hello! First, please say hello to the readers of the Monthly ASEAN Culture House.
Hello. I’m Andrea Jescia Aquilizan from the Philippines. I work at SentBe, a global FX total solutions provider that is leading the field of overseas remittance and payment. The first time I visited Korea was with my mother. I was fascinated by the positive energy of Seoul and decided that I wanted to see more of the city. It’s been 11 years since I started living in Seoul, and looking back, it’s still one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Could you tell us about what you do at SentBe, a Korean fintech company?
SentBe was established to provide transfer and payment services with a mission of building borderless finance for more individuals and businesses. It allows transfers to 50 countries around the world, including Indonesia, Korea, and Singapore. Before, I managed the Customer Experience Team, consisting of over 40 representatives providing foreign language services. Now, I’m the team leader of the Operation & Insight Team that was recently installed. Both teams deal with customer experience and support. Mainly, my current team maintains service operations, monitors transactions, and collects customer feedback from a macro perspective. Through this, we optimize our marketing activities and the SentBe application’s functions, and strive to provide and maintain enhanced services to our customers.
Have you ever encountered any difficulties while working with international team members?
Because we all have different cultures and backgrounds, we have different ways of approaching problems. This helps us think in terms of foreign customers and improve their experiences. Although it isn’t always easy to share such diverse opinions and ideas, as a leader, I support everyone’s ideas and try to make decisions for the benefit of our customers and the company as a whole.
What was the most memorable experience during your time in Korea?
I was talking with a Filipino friend as we waited for the subway. Two ladies came up to us and asked where we were from. When they learned that we were from the Philippines, they were happy and gave us some mandarin oranges. They said that they were deeply grateful for the Filipino soldiers who fought with South Korea during the Korean War. That was the most memorable experience for me.
Finally, could you say a word to the readers of Monthly ASEAN Culture House, the friends back home, and the Korean audience?
Although I’m from the Philippines, I consider Korea my home. Wherever you are right now, whether it’s in Korea or elsewhere, trust that it’s where you’re meant to be now. Enjoy the small wins, no matter how small. Those will help motivate you to achieve your goals. And for readers in Indonesia, Korea, and Singapore, try SentBe when you need to transfer money abroad.
KOREA FOUNDATION
