Meet Robert

Robert serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Mellon, soon to be Mellon Investments Corp., a BNY Mellon Investment Management firm. In this role, Robert oversees all technology architecture decisions, risk and resiliency initiatives, production and desktop support, strategic technology planning, staffing and tech recruiting, project management office, major roadmap initiatives, and IT budgets and operating models.

What excites you about working at BNY Mellon?

When I first started at BNY Mellon 13 years ago as a contractor, I honestly never pictured myself staying at a single job for more than three to four years. In technology, experience is often gained from employment across many firms and various roles throughout your career. At BNY Mellon, I found these opportunities at every turn which compelled me to come to work every day to devise new solutions, constantly learn and adapt and raise my own personal bar to meet the challenges ahead.

One of the things that excites me at work is supporting and mentoring my peers and colleagues to foster future leaders. With my experience of starting in a temporary contract role and moving up to CTO, I can relate to my staff at all levels, as I’ve seen the pathway of opportunities that BNY Mellon allows. It’s my responsibility to create an equal opportunity environment free from discrimination or harassment and empower each individual with the tools and resources to operate at their best.

Having a strong community of peers that hold a mutual respect for each other creates a better workplace for all and builds a team that is both resilient and synergistic. Having great mentors and an excellent support structure allowed me to thrive in a challenging environment and an industry that has gone through tectonic shifts over the last decade.

What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you?

It’s a time to reflect and recognize the achievements and challenges our ancestors faced while immigrating and assimilating to American life. My own family has a rich history with many incredible individuals who have been an inspiration to me.

My grandfather immigrated in the 1920s and lived till the age of 106, raising six successful children and establishing a deep lineage in the United States. Meanwhile, my grandmother graduated as one of the first Asian-American female optometrists from UC Berkeley and went on to run her own successful practice. My grand uncle ran away to become a cowboy and ranch hand in Texas in his teenage years, enlisted in the U.S. Army and ended up being the only Chinese-American soldier captured by the Japanese in World War II, surviving 3 ½ years of oppressive abuse and forced labor including building the bridge over the river Kwai. My aunt, who recently passed, was a prominent contributor and writer of both women’s history and Asian-American heritage, as well as a highly-respected professor of American studies at UC Santa Cruz. And finally, I'd like to recognize my uncle, who came to America in 1949 with only the shirt on his back and went on to build a successful insurance empire, donating much of his wealth back to his home town. 

Tell us how you’re living our Strength in Diversity value at BNY Mellon.

BNY Mellon has always created an environment which fosters diversity and inclusion. In 2013, I received a BNY Mellon STAR Award and was honored to attend the company’s STAR Awards ceremony, where I met fellow employees who were recognized for their exceptional performance in living our purpose and strengthening our high-performance culture. I also met employees that were recognized exclusively for their contributions to diversity at BNY Mellon and within their communities — this is something that has stuck with me and I’ve always made a conscious effort to actively live our BNY Mellon values. From making sure there are no discriminatory or bias practices in my purview, to creating a harassment-free workplace that values everyone's opinions and ideas, and upholding the principles of meritocracy at Mellon that considers all ideas, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, or orientation. I believe in creating an environment that welcomes all and sees diversity as a positive factor for organizational evolution. We need to ensure that the principles of freedom and diversity are represented in our everyday lives, including in the places that we work.

Learn more about Diversity & Inclusion.