Jose Guerra Steers JPMorganChase’s Private Bank Global Growth

The day before his interview with Hispanic Executive, Jose Guerra had his first call at 7 a.m. and his last at 8 p.m. This hectic schedule is what it means to be general counsel for JPMorganChase’s International Private Bank. His role doesn’t come with the luxury of standard working hours. Yet this position is the dream Guerra has been working toward for years. He started in his position at a time when the private bank’s business had a keen eye on expansion and growth.

“We were sitting around a table, strategizing on a blackboard about our near- and longer-term goals,” the GC remembers. “Four years later, we have made a lot of progress. We’re seeing that continued growth and the resulting benefits for our clients. The systems we implemented, the legal advice we sourced, and growth we’ve gone through have made us a much bigger, stronger, and a more developed international private bank for clients. Being part of that journey has been incredibly rewarding.”

Together, Guerra and his global team cover seventeen hours of a twenty-four-hour day. The GC’s purview encompasses nine different languages, twenty-one markets, and over one hundred different countries. Guerra relies on a strong team of international counsel to step in and handle local issues that require a more nuanced touch. But these aren’t run-of-the-mill banking issues.

Guerra’s organization manages the wealth of clients with a minimum of $20 million in investments. These clients are used to being treated as a priority.

“That kind of client base has its benefits as well as its challenges,” the GC says. “It’s great to deal with some of the most influential people in the world, who are often self-made millionaires and some of the most intelligent, driven, and interesting people in the world. They can also be extremely demanding with their service providers. You need to earn their trust over time by demonstrating that you can execute complex transactions when they need them and that you’re always going to have their best interest at heart.”

For good reason, this is about as specific as Guerra’s able to get. In his words, the “private” of “International Private Bank” more than earns its inclusion in the company name. But the progress he’s helped the organization achieve is worth examining.

Before that fateful meeting four years ago, JPMorganChase had an international private banking business, but it was more regionalized. It had multiple coverage areas in Europe and Asia operating in a more independent manner. Growing the business required a more unified strategy, centralized reporting, and all three regions reporting up to a single CEO.

“I was brought in to help put those strategies together and help the business lead that growth into the future,” Guerra explains. “This bank has invested heavily in this area, and it’s helped us open new markets and offices. So much has changed since that decision.”

Guerra’s move to his current role seemed well timed in 2020. He was prepared for extensive international travel. But in his second week in the new role, New York and much of the rest of the world shut down due to COVID-19. A business primarily based on face-to-face interaction and handshakes suddenly went online.

Still, there were silver linings to the chaos. Guerra learned the nuts and bolts of his business quickly because he jumped in wherever he could be of service. And a lesson from that difficult time has stayed with him far more than any transaction.

During a training session, Guerra and other employees were told they should find a hobby outside of their working hours to remain sane and healthy. “At first, I thought it was silly,” the GC admits. “But we kept hearing it from our wellness people and, eventually, I took some action.”

Guerra has become a talented photographer. Take a glance at his Instagram and you’ll immediately understand that the GC has the eye.

“Photography made so much sense for me, because today when I’m traveling, the day is over at 5 or 6 p.m.,” Guerra explains. “Then I’m alone in Geneva or Hong Kong or some other city. I can walk the streets of these incredible places with my camera. It keeps me engaged with the local cultures.”