Since time immemorial, faith and technology have often seemed at odds with each other. Dench Decino, a man thrust into leading a prominent professional services firm, is charting his path between these two forces as he steers the company toward an increasingly digital future.

Decino, the location leader of EY Global Delivery Services (GDS) Philippines, juggles multiple roles within the global network of London-based multinational Ernst & Young.

Decino concurrently serves as the talent services leader at EY GDS Enablement Services, as well as president of Ernst & Young Global Services (Philippines), Inc. and EY GDS (CS) Philippines, Inc.

At EY GDS Philippines, the seasoned executive leads a company that seeks to meet the growing demands of global clientele against the backdrop of swift technological progress. 

Decino, a former seminarian, is letting his faith take charge.

Growing up in a traditional Catholic family in Leyte, Decino was expected to continue the family’s lineage of priests. And he did—pursuing his education inside the hallowed halls of the seminary with every intention of becoming a priest.

But as they say, God had a different plan. Fueled by his desire to explore other paths, Decino eventually ventured into the corporate world.

While it may seem that the traditional leanings of the seminary and the progressive, tech-driven agenda of a global company are at odds, he said they actually complement each other, forming what he believes to be the ideal leadership style.

“When you study to become a priest, you want to do good in the world. You tend to develop people, develop your parishioners to bring them to heaven. You tend to aspire to be able to impact the lives of the people around you,” Decino shared in an exclusive interview with Manila Bulletin.

“And in my Philippines location leader role, I'm able to do exactly that. Positively impact the lives of the people around me, our employees, their families, but also our clients,” he added. “The only difference is, with a location leader role, your impact is much bigger than being a parish priest.”

Decino said being the head honcho of EY GDS Philippines provides him the opportunity to “create goodness in the world”—just as if he were a priest.

Before joining the company in 2018, Decino had already accumulated 25 years of experience in managing GDS, account management, and improving business processes across several other firms.

He described himself as an early pioneer in the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector, which has grown into one of the key drivers of foreign investment and job creation in the country.

After donning multiple hats—from managing global contracts and overseeing human resources (HR) to taking part in the recruitment process—Decino finally made the jump to EY GDS Philippines.

“I got this call from EY that they were looking for a global head for talent services because the person who was doing the role was retiring after 41 years. And that's when I got it,” he said.

“After about five to six years in the firm doing that global role, I was offered the opportunity to also be the location leader in addition to that role,” he continued.

Decino, a Filipino, being tapped as the location leader is a rare feat, as foreign nationals are typically chosen to head a local unit of EY GDS.

EY GDS Philippines, which is celebrating 10 years of operations in the country, offers a comprehensive range of services to its clients, including consulting, assurance, finance, talent, tax, transactions, marketing, and several other specialized areas.

The company primarily serves giant corporations and multinationals hailing from the United States (US), Europe, and Asia.

To put it simply, EY GDS acts as the “secret sauce” to ensure that companies can consistently meet the needs of their customers.

“We tend to look at ourselves as a very effective partner with the whole EY organization in order for us to create value for our stakeholders,” said Decino. “So, the support and the services that we provide are all in aid of ensuring the success of our clients.”

With its wide range of services, EY GDS Philippines relies on a highly skilled workforce to meet client demands, employing a multitude of professionals in the process.

During the interview with Manila Bulletin, Decino shared that he had just met with more than 150 fresh hires, including accountants, consultants, HR personnel, and tax professionals, among others.

 “We can go deep into different industries. We can go deep into different processes. And we're able to hire the right people to ensure that our clients are successful that way,” he explained.

From just 25 employees in 2015 when it started, EY GDS Philippines now boasts a workforce of nearly 6,000 in its offices in Taguig and Cebu. The company plans to reach approximately 10,000 workers within three to five years.

Decino said the firm is leveraging its “employee value proposition” to attract and retain top talent. Their messaging is simple: you can shape your future here.

“What makes us successful in recruitment is really the fact that we are centered on our purpose of building a better working world. It starts from there,” said Decino.

“Otherwise, there will be no differentiation between EY GDS and other companies. But because we are purpose-driven and we go back to that core, then we are able to come up with strategies to successfully grow and sustainably grow our Philippines practice,” he stated.

EY GDS places strong emphasis on talent development, investing heavily in training and wellness programs to cultivate a workforce that is not only skilled but also healthy.

Decino said the company offers its employees “badges” where they can further enhance their skills through training programs or even international business schools.

Unlike other companies that are backtracking on their diversity and inclusiveness efforts, he noted that EY GDS Philippines remains a pillar in enabling its people to be their best selves.

“When you have a strong brand rooted in purpose, you have a strong focus on talent development and inclusion, and then that desire and aspiration to ensure wellness and well-being for your people, that becomes a very pretty strong brand that you can bring to the market,” Decino explained.

The company is stepping up its recruitment efforts by partnering directly with universities. It recently signed agreements with the National University, Adamson University, and the University of San Carlos.

Through these partnerships, EY GDS Philippines works with educational institutions to align curriculum with industry needs, ensuring students are workforce-ready upon graduation, while also providing internship and employment opportunities.

With a strong focus on the future, EY GDS Philippines is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) head-on rather than treating it as a threat. In fact, Decino said the company now describes itself as “AI-first.”

“We have seen certain industries being impacted, as we speak, by AI. But when you look at the efficiency and depth that AI can bring to the human person, there's a lot. You start with really strong world-class Filipino talent, augment that with AI, look at the power of that,” he said.

Speaking with confidence, Decino said he has strong faith that the critical thinking and comprehension of workers will outshine the vast knowledge embodied in AI.

In this regard, EY GDS Philippines has developed a framework for what it describes as “ethical AI,” ensuring the technology is used only within clear safeguards that prevent misuse and unintended harm.

The company also launched its own generative AI chatbot, called “EYQ,” to promote ethical AI use while enhancing employee efficiency.

Decino added that the firm also provides literacy programs to ensure every worker stays up to date in the rapidly evolving world of AI.

At the forefront of AI adoption, he said, the company is making sure it does not fall behind emerging technologies, noting their importance for growth.

EY GDS Philippines was recently named “Technology Company of the Year” at the 2025 SOLAIA: IT-BPM Awards, in recognition of its leadership in harnessing technology to transform operations and deliver quality services to clients.

In the medium term, Decino said EY GDS Philippines aims to “double its impact” by driving greater growth for its global clients.

“By leveraging world-class Filipino talent and leveraging cutting-edge technology, we will be able to unlock value for our stakeholders for sustainable growth,” he stated.

The company, according to Decino, will remain focused on talent development, strengthening relationships, upskilling workers, and pursuing sustainability initiatives for the good of the environment.

“Underpinning it all is our strong commitment to living our employee value proposition, which is to shape your future with confidence,” he added.