Securing corporate accounts is a strategic way for financial advisors to grow their client base. Business owners and human resources (HR) leaders seek solutions to drive long-term growth while improving employee retention, making advisors’ expertise highly valuable. Advisors gain access to high-value executives and a wider employee network by positioning themselves as trusted partners in corporate financial planning.

Three financial advisors from the Philippines share how responding to corporate needs, integrating financial education into tailored solutions, and delivering long-term value transform corporate engagements into lasting partnerships.

Guiding businesses in retirement planning

With over 14 years of experience in the financial advising industry, Nelilyn Gado, a two-time MDRT member from Bataan, Philippines, has established a reputation as a trusted advisor in corporate retirement planning, guiding business owners and HR leaders through the complexities of Republic Act 7641, also known as the Philippine Retirement Law.

Gado ensures she responds to her corporate clients' specific retirement planning needs, which often involve addressing issues such as compliance uncertainty, missing employee data, or aging incorporators who no longer qualify for keyman insurance. Her structured approach begins by engaging decision-makers to raise awareness, analyzing employee data to identify retirement gaps, and then customizing the best-fit solutions, either individual or keyman policies. “The most challenging part is accessing the employee data, but once you do, you can design a solution that fits the company. Handling corporate retirement accounts is not just about meeting legal requirements. It’s about preparing early and securing the company’s future through the next generation.”

Through this approach, Gado has fostered long-term partnerships with her corporate clients, one of the most notable being a 14-year relationship with a family-owned oil company. “Over the years, I’ve managed not only the corporate account but also the personal financial planning of the owner and his family.” As the business transitions to the next generation, she has already earned the trust of the new leaders, ensuring a seamless handover and continued success.

Empowering employees with financial education

With years of experience in group insurance and corporate servicing, Ma. Milissa “Lizette” Amistad, a 14-time MDRT member from Quezon City, Philippines, has learned that long-term trust is built through consistency, proactive care, and genuine partnership. What began with just two companies eventually evolved into a portfolio of over 30 corporate accounts, including companies of one of the Philippines’ oldest and largest conglomerates.

Today, Amistad focuses on a more selective corporate portfolio, but her approach remains the same: every account is a gateway to meaningful relationships and untapped opportunities. “It’s an additional case, and a whole new field of prospects.”.

More than just servicing policies, she integrates financial literacy into her client engagements, offering sessions on budgeting, debt management, and financial wellness. “The HR teams truly appreciate these types of programs. Many employees struggle with financial discipline, and these sessions give them tools they can use.” She recalls one corporate client that decided to expand its coverage, raising the sum assured and adding riders, after months of regular education sessions and open dialogue. “The more involved you are in their business and employee efforts, the more they trust you.”

For Amistad, winning and retaining corporate accounts is not just about the numbers. It’s about being a reliable, long-term partner who helps employers and employees make smarter financial decisions for a more secure future.

Positioning group insurance as a strategic advantage

Jo-An Darlene Chua, a 13-time MDRT member from Manila, Philippines, believes securing corporate accounts is not about chasing big deals. It is about solving real problems for business owners. “You don’t win corporate trust by pushing products. You earn it by proving you understand what matters most to them: their people and the business.”

With many of her corporate clients being business owners who started as personal insurance clients, Chua leans on a top-down approach. She helps them see how group insurance enhances their risk management strategy by protecting the people running their businesses. “When you frame insurance as a business tool, not a cost, it changes the conversation entirely.”

For Chua, trust is built by providing more than just policies. She invests time to understand each client’s operations, challenges, and goals, particularly around three common pain points: employee retention and morale, financial strain from unexpected events, and limited budgets for benefits. “Most companies face these same challenges. That’s why solutions need to be practical, relevant, and rooted in what the business truly needs, not just something off the shelf.”

Chua’s portfolio spans various industries, with each account opening doors to new opportunities, from employee referrals to executive planning. “A corporate client isn’t just a single case. It’s an entire ecosystem of lives you can improve.” She recalls a turning point with a second-generation business owner in an agricultural distribution company. After a beloved employee passed away following a costly accident, the company struggled to support the family financially. Chua introduced group insurance to offer employee protection without risking the company’s finances. “They wanted to help but didn’t have a system in place. Group insurance gave them a way to care sustainably, and that care builds loyalty.”

She encourages fellow advisors and MDRT members to look beyond individual sales. “When you serve with insight and empathy, you don’t just close deals. You build lasting partnerships that grow with your clients.”

Contact: MDRTeditorial@teamlewis.com

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Winning corporate accounts: Adding value to businesses for long-term partnerships