As Head of Client Engagement for BBVA USA Talent & Culture, Reba Simmons plays an important role in helping the bank create opportunities for its employees. Her team of Talent & Culture Business Partners provides consultative advice to bank leaders to help recruit, retain, and develop talent, with our values central to every action taken and recommendation given. We took a moment to get her perspective as a female leader at BBVA.

If there is one thing that characterizes women’s fight for equality, it’s that it’s a global, intergenerational cause. It knows no borders, beliefs, age or race. As conduits of wealth in societies, companies play a fundamental role in the pursuit of equality and in the implementation of policies and measures that guarantee the same rights for men and women.

The BBVA Foundation has honored Charles Bennett, Gilles Brassard, and Peter Shor with the Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Basic Sciences for their respective roles in the development of quantum computing and cryptography.

There are more than 10,000 team members spread across BBVA USA’s footprint, each with a unique story to tell. This year, we’re introducing a new series to celebrate this rich diversity of experience: “Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work.” When we bring our authentic selves to work, we connect with others in a genuine way that allows ourselves to be truly seen and boosts our engagement, productivity, and well-being. To kick the series off, we’re celebrating Black History Month with employees’ personal stories about their heritage.

The financial industry has experienced a series of changes that have revolutionized the way banks engage with customers. In this evolving context, the next step is to apply this change to the way banks relate to their employees. Only the companies that manage to put their employees at the heart of their strategy will be able to attract, retain and develop the best talent. Some of our main challenges regarding Talent at BBVA involve empowering employees, diversity, and work-life balance.

The next generation of leaders in the business industry are key components to a stable economic future across the U.S. and in the markets in which those leaders reside.