Gabriel is available for hire

Gabriel Ignacio

Verified Expert in Product Management

Product Manager

Location

Toronto, ON, Canada

Toptal Member Since

January 6, 2021

Gabriel has a reputation for getting things done as an entrepreneurial expert-generalist (polymath) with diverse experiences. He is passionate about employing finance, entrepreneurship, and technology in making the world a better place for generations to come. Gabriel has extensive experiences in a global, regional, and C-suite scale as CEO and COO in four early-stage startups, two top global banks, and a multinational consumer packaged goods company.

Project Management Organizational Change Management (OCM)Stakeholder Engagement Documentation Solution Design Product Management Stakeholder Management Data Analytics Data Reporting Product Strategy Consultant Web Process Documentation Minimum Viable Product (MVP)Market Strategy and Research Product Manager Product Development Manager Fractional Chief Product Officer (CPO)DeFi Innovation Strategy

Project Highlights

Qualified Buyers Program

Launched the qualified buyers program (accredited investors program) that achieved almost 300 client registrations with around $7 million in Assets-Under-Management (AUM) in less than six months.

Project Arrow

Led an APAC-wide end-to-end concept, execution, results, and replication of an online traditional insurance sales platform that shortened the sales process to less than three minutes and incremental revenue of roughly US $300,000 in its first year.

Project Merida: NESCAFÉ Creamy White Product Marketing Launch

Cross-functionally led nationwide sampling for NESCAFÉ Creamy White product launch in four major channels linked to above-the-line and digital platforms projected to yield an overall 20% increase in consumer trial and roughly 171% ROI.

Expertise

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)Product-market Fit Qualitative Research Quantitative Research Stakeholder Management Startups Technical Product Management User Research

Work Experience

Founder and CEO

2020 - PRESENT

Self-employed

Served as the CEO for VeXempt. Collaboratively initiated the end-to-end platform development of a blockchain-based issuance solution called "VeXempt" for the Canadian exempt markets with projected revenue of CAD 1.5 million in the first launch year.
Acted as CEO for all things related to data connectors at Alteryx. Acted as the go-to person for all things "Alteryx Data Connection Management" (DCM) across Alteryx, from product strategy and road mapping to execution.
Performed the role of COO for Halo—a podcast-sharing platform. Handled all business-related aspects of launching a platform that redefines podcasts by enabling experts to share their insights on pressing topics and in-demand skills in today's world.
Served as COO for Ukrators, a 3D food-printing company. I was in charge of all business-related concerns of the company, from covers strategy, sales, marketing, operations, finance, HR, venture fundraising, data analytics, and overall leadership.
Acted as Chief Product Officer (CPO) for ChangeBlock, a trading platform for green assets and carbon tokens in decentralized finance to democratize the Net Zero vision by 2050.
Performed as a Chief Business Officer for Loop Network—a blockchain-AI platform combatting fake news. Commercialized the autonomous news platform to subject matter experts, students, and investors.
Designed, developed, and wrote a product development plan, including roadmap, technical architecture, and resource and budget for MINTangible's NFT License Generator and Registry Product as a product manager for MINTangible.io.
Defined the JustProtect risk assessment tool's positioning, backlog prioritization, product vision, and roadmap as a product manager. JustProtect.co is a cyber and reg tech startup.
Started and managed a crypto venture studio called "7th Floor Ventures" that offers blockchain services, i.e., Web 3, NFT, decentralized finance, Dex, and Dapp on several kinds of blockchain: Ethereum, BSC, Solana, Polygon, Avalanche, Fantom, etc.
Launched Angel Gabriel, an online platform offering services like international business expansion as a founder. Also involved in co-founding a business, angel investment, life coaching, and academic coaching.

Head of Crypto Assets, Digital Assets, and AI Products

2019 - PRESENT

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

Collaborated in launching RBC's bitcoin ETF fund, bitcoin crypto custody platform, and bitcoin execution management system (EMS trading platform).
Designed the automation of database reconciliation across different internal bank databases using RPA by codifying rules of independent data changes to increase operational efficiency by 50% and reporting accuracy to 100% with an audit trail.
Collaboratively initiated and developed market sizing and go-to-market strategy for early-stage startups (i.e., pre-seed and seed-stage startups) with a projected goal of at least $18 million.
Forecasted and identified top-tier VCs for RBC to invest as limited partners with a projected goal of at least $55 million in the next three years.
Underwrote technology lending deal sizes between $10-$25 million for series A and beyond tech startups.
Simplified tech startup lending criteria for clients, account managers, venture capital firms, private equity firms, and the underwriting team for the goal of eight weeks deal approval from submission to delivery, versus three months standard.
Developed the overall business case for partnership with a digital escrow startup service from financial modeling to getting management buy-in for projected revenue of $14 million in five years.
Co-developed product end-to-end (including technical) of our accounting data integration services for dynamic pricing prediction model, cash flow prediction, and financial product next best offer (NBO) for our business clients.
Synthesized overall business case for a supplier-payee database/virtual room for our commercial and mid-market clients.
Coded, simplified, and documented regulatory reporting process for RBC's $280 billion home equity financing business to ensure audit readiness and reduce regulatory risk via SAS and Tableau.

Digital Product Manager and Sales Head

2014 - 2017

Citibank

Developed a new collections strategy through risk-based segmentation using SAS for delinquent Citibank credit card accounts, resulting in a net benefit of $408,000 (PHP 20.4 million) on a full year roll-out.
Spearheaded leads generating partnerships for the Citi Personal Loans product with various companies in industries where loans are needed through a referral program with a projected potential of $670,000 in sales volume.
Proposed and implemented an RPA-based check writer program that automates writing on post-dated checks (PDCs) that are projected to save $440,000 (PHP 22 million) from delinquency due to PDC discrepancies.
Conceptualized and implemented qualified buyers (accredited investors) program for high net worth clients for investment funds that added offshore funds and alternatives to the product portfolio with projected revenue of $864,000.
Spearheaded the launch of a new online channel for mutual funds that was projected to deliver $240,000 annualized revenue.
Developed complete business planning and strategy with a total insurance business goal of $8 million in revenue, $32 million in annual net premium, and $12 million in new business volume.
Launched a new online platform for traditional insurance with projected annual revenue of $300,000 and with continuous P&L responsibility.
Managed a sales team of five direct reports and developed and launched APAC’s first Mobile Insurance Specialist Channel with a revenue goal of $300,000 in 2017, leading to the replication of best practices across the region within Citi.
Received Citi Country Officer Individual Star Awards on Innovation for opening a new digital channel, STP-OTP, for insurance projected to deliver $75,000 in revenue by the second half of 2017.
Diversified fixed income product offering by launching qualified buyers (accredited investors) program for high net worth clients, adding high-yield bonds and structured notes to the product portfolio with projected revenue of $288,000.

Brand Manager

2011 - 2014

Nestlé

Launched the Maggi Extra Sightings project that contributed 26.37% year-on-year brand incremental sales at Puregold Sucat and 123.57% for Puregold Alabang and addressed competitor’s (Knorr) paid shelf space.
Achieved three consecutive sales targets (102% in February, 105% in March, and +2% ahead of theoretical sales achievement as of April 16, 2012) as an ex-truck salesman at Pangasinan, an area where sales targets are rarely achieved.
Implemented a frozen bag project, which increased sales in terms of tubs sold per day by 25-50%. Co-managed the product re-launch of Nestea and Nesfruta for beverages.
Co-managed the packaging development and new product launch of Nestea and Nesfruta under the beverages business unit while co-managing the National Sales Convention as finance-procurement handling in October 2012.
Managed below-the-line selling and awareness events for NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto (NDG) selling event tie-up that accumulated NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Piccolo machine sales equivalent to four months of selling activation in just 18 days (projected 156% ROI).
Cross-functionally led a nationwide sampling for NESCAFÉ Creamy White product launch in four major channels linked to above-the-line and digital platforms projected to yield an overall 20% increase in consumer trial and roughly 171% ROI.
Led and cross-functionally managed office sampling and selling for NESCAFÉ Cappuccino with a projected yield of $146,000 (PHP 7.3 million) in sachet sales by the end of the year, equivalent to 239% return-on-investment (ROI).

Project History

Qualified Buyers Program

Launched the qualified buyers program (accredited investors program) that achieved almost 300 client registrations with around $7 million in Assets-Under-Management (AUM) in less than six months.

https://www.citibank.com.ph/citigold/wealth-management-solutions/index.html

The Qualified Buyers (QB) Program is a local Philippine Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) program that allows high net worth clients of certain financial capacity and sophistication to invest in non-registered securities to meet their wealth objectives. In Canada, this is equivalent to the accredited investors program (https://www.osc.gov.on.ca/en/exempt-market.htm)

In launching this program, I exercised deep analytical rigor and a flexible personality to meet the requirements of each approving unit across APAC and regulators. The QB provided an open architecture that allows direct distribution of offshore fund house partners that lessened the approval timeframe, increased commissions, and enhanced speed to offer new products into the market to satisfy client investment and wealth needs.

Project Arrow

An online insurance sales platform (https://www.citibank.com.ph/landing_page/insurance/index.htm) for traditional insurance products through an online straight-through-payment mechanism. This initiative involved strong collaboration and innovation. This is the first project of its kind in the country and the APAC region and spans stakeholders, markets, and regulators in APAC for Citi.

Project Merida: NESCAFÉ Creamy White Product Marketing Launch

https://www.nescafe.com/ph/our-coffees/nescafe-creamy-white

NESCAFÉ Creamy White was a new coffee variant launched by Nestlé Philippines in 2014 as a response to local competition's "white" coffee variant. This is a one-of-a-kind coffee mix, made delicious and creamy with NESTLÉ milk.