Selah Filardo

Selah (/ˈsiːlə(h)/; Hebrew: סֶלָה, also transliterated as selāh)

- To pause or reflect

- A musical term to provide direction

An extraordinary name for an extraordinary woman. Accenture Intelligent Operations Centers in the Philippines (AIOCP) Associate Manager Selah Filardo combines her multilingual skills and passion for innovation and learning to help clients unlock value and employees be their best.

Born to a Filipino father and a Japanese mother, Selah’s initial drive to learn the Japanese language stemmed from her desire to communicate with her mother in the latter’s native tongue. A passion for learning both the Japanese culture and vernacular led her to take foreign language classes in college and pursue further learning opportunities. Before joining Accenture, Selah could already read, comprehend and speak basic Japanese and converse about simple, everyday topics.

At Accenture, she seized opportunities to hone her Japanese skills and learn about Operational Excellence and process improvement. Selah says that being multilingual helps her team turn its client’s vision into reality, and also build morale and a stronger partnership. She goes on to say that her team’s language skills ensure that client deliverables are met and processes, properly executed.

“Most of our clients are Japanese—most of them are unable to communicate in English. Our language skills bridge the gap between the client and our team, and help build trust and assurance that we are able to understand their demands and expectations,” She explains. “I have a higher Japanese proficiency level compared with other team members. Whenever I join meetings, our clients would be put at ease because they are sure that their message and needs are understood properly.”

Accenture is a diverse and multi-cultural company, constantly giving Selah opportunities to improve, not only her Nihongo, but her people management skills, as well—certainly crucial in this fast-evolving digital age. Although she uses technologies, such as automation, minibots and applied intelligence to boost efficiency, Selah believes that human ingenuity and interaction ultimately drive innovation.

“Though we do require help from technology, it is human creativity that helps us find ways to meet evolving customer expectations. Digital technology alone cannot deliver the critical thinking that the mind can. Both human ingenuity and digital tech should work hand-in-hand if we want to produce the most innovative solutions.”

On top of helping her team fulfill client requirements, Selah also empowers women. As part of ACTualize, an internal coaching program, she encourages women to step out of their comfort zones so they can grow their careers. In her free time, she also explores her passions—she’s been participating and finishing in Spartan Philippines races since 2017.

“I believe that our lives do not have a ’period’ here in Accenture,” says the woman named after a Hebrew word that means to pause and reflect. “There is no such thing as ‘failure’, only ‘learning’. There’s no limit to career opportunities, only a ‘comma’ to shift, create new things and grow more.”