MUFG Way – Colleague Stories

As a member of the Risk Management Department, I do frequently collect a lot of information from different departments, and it is not uncommon to come across content that I am not the most familiar with or situations where I have a different opinion. Instead of just letting it go, I make it a point to double-check with colleagues in charge, ask them to elaborate on their rationales, or even challenge their stances to ensure accuracy. Challenging others doesn’t equate to nitpicking. Risk Management is the bank’s second line of defense, so thoroughly reviewing the work done by our first line of defense is pivotal in ensuring risks and controls are effectively managed.

Needless to say, no one is perfect, and I have been challenged too. At the very beginning of my career, I attributed it to a lack of luck and was scared of being audited because the recommendations or findings may imply that we are not doing good enough. However, with time, I became very clear of the role I play, and each audit experience provided me a chance to review my work and gave me insights from another angle for my further improvement. I’ve also come to understand the regulator’s focus better. Of course, through discussions with colleagues from other functions, I gradually became more confident in voicing out my opinion and challenging others when the occasion calls for it.

Let go of the fear of challenging others or being challenged — face them head-on, positively, and grab such opportunities to keep ourselves moving forward!

In alignment with MUFG’s initiative to promote Trade Finance (TF) business globally, DIFC Branch – Dubai established a Trade Finance team in early 2014 with the primary goal of actively promoting TF business in the region. I have been an integral part of this team since its inception, and during this time, I have been involved in various initiatives aimed at supporting the set-up and growth of trade finance business in the MENA region.

My daily responsibilities involve ensuring the high utilization of TF lines, overseeing the end-to-end delivery of TF transactions for our customers, and supporting the Trade Sales team in originating new-to-bank business, with a strong emphasis on maintaining risk management and controls at its core.

A core strength of mine is my ability to embrace challenges and foster positive and collaborative working relationships with all key stakeholders. Throughout my 11+ years with MUFG, I have consistently strived to deliver positive results for both internal and external stakeholders, building enduring relationships based on trust and positivity. What genuinely excites me about my role is the dynamic nature of the job, where we seize opportunities driven by market events, engage with customers in different locations with varying product requirements, and contribute to our vision of being a trusted partner for our clients. Our small team interacts daily, discussing different business opportunities and challenges, providing me with the opportunity to identify solutions and facilitating my growth in Transaction Banking (TB). At the same time, I eagerly step forward to train and develop new team members pursuing careers in trade finance.

Beyond my responsibilities in TB, I am an active member of MUFG’s CSR team, where I lead various initiatives aimed at supporting the environment, disadvantaged communities and financial literacy in young people. I am also a “Culture Influencer” for DIFC branch Dubai, collaborating with my colleagues locally and across the EMEA region to strengthen our culture. I know my commitment to our culture strategy and external causes is highly appreciated by MUFG because I’m consistently recognized for my efforts by senior management.

Personally, I feel a strong alignment between my personal values and MUFG’s values, which has paved the way for a fulfilling career. MUFG’s purpose of "empowering a brighter future" is something I wholeheartedly believe in and live by.
 

As I reflect on five years in MUFG's IT department, I can see just how motivated I have been by our global network and the rich cultural mix that comes together to innovate in finance. It's a daily source of inspiration for me.

My international outlook took root during an eye-opening Erasmus program in Portugal. In my professional life at MUFG, I've since directed this appreciation for global dynamism into enhancing our banking learning modules. This ensures that we bring the full depth and breadth of MUFG expertise to employee development and client service.

I’ve also taken my global perspective to CSR volunteering activities. Leveraging our technology, I developed a 'WaterApp' to drive local sustainability and expanded it to London, bringing MUFG's core values to life and demonstrating my commitment to empowering a brighter future.

Looking ahead, I'm eager to play a major role in MUFG's digital revolution by collaborating on transformative projects and striking the right balance between delivering for our clients today and innovating for their needs in the future.

MUFG gives us as employees the chance to fulfill our professional dreams in an environment that's constantly evolving. My career highlight has been taking on the role of 'Culture Influencer' for MUFG IT in Turkey. By sharing our MUFG story across the organization, and shaping our future, I've learned to carve out my own path, encapsulating the essence of the 'MUFG way'.

Through my work in the Regulatory Change team in Compliance, I analyze and interpret UK/EU/US and other cross-border financial regulations that impact MUFG entities in EMEA and collaborate to implement the changes required to meet those regulatory standards. We collectively protect the MUFG Group from regulatory risks, and raise the standards of compliance, to meet expectations in a fast-evolving landscape.

I feel fulfillment in my work when I utilize my core strength of articulating complex requirements in a simple and logical way. My experience so far in the industry has enabled me to focus on this core strength while also being open to stretch and personal growth.

For me, being ‘committed to empowering a brighter future’ starts with ‘empowering myself.’ My life at MUFG has led me to a unique opportunity to act as a ‘Culture Influencer’ on behalf of my department. Through this role, I have been involved with firm-wide culture initiatives and engaged with senior management to drive positive change. I am grateful for the diverse environment in London that has led me to ask myself: “what can I bring as an individual?” As a result, I am more confident and comfortable being my authentic self, sharing my unique background and the achievements that have helped me get to where I am, including living and working in London as a Japanese woman. I used to think that culture is not something we can easily change, but seeing the many positive initiatives MUFG has taken on culture has given me hope that, through each small step we take, we’re influencing people’s mindset and bringing mutual understanding and respect to our diverse community, resulting in a more inclusive workplace. I look forward to seeing where this journey will take me.

At MUFG, we have realized that the expertise in compliance we have acquired through our daily operations is in demand from other financial institutions. Therefore, we are taking on the challenge of externally selling our compliance knowledge as a digital package of consulting and solutions. We consider this to be a groundbreaking endeavor that challenges traditional industry norms.

It is because we have mastered compliance skills that we are in a position to do this and to drive innovation. MUFG pursues the consulting and solutions that stakeholders demand, while maintaining high quality, by incorporating global advanced methods into the seemingly steady compliance field.

Having built a solid foundation as professionals in the compliance field, at MUFG, we are challenging ourselves to be bold and think creatively. We will continue to develop new digital solutions and generate new business opportunities by combining compliance expertise with advanced digital technologies.

We are confident that our digital solutions will be helpful for many financial institutions in terms of streamlining and strengthening compliance. I am grateful to MUFG for giving my colleagues and me the opportunity to work on exciting projects every day.