Adrian Rodriguez was senior vice president and chief communications officer for MetLife, where he oversaw the development and execution of the company’s global communications strategies. He joined MetLife in August 2009. As chief communications officer, Rodriguez counseled MetLife’s senior management team on high-level communications strategy and matters concerning reputation management. He set communications policies, standards and best practices for the enterprise, and was responsible for gauging the impact and effectiveness of MetLife’s overall communications efforts. He also oversaw communications programs that effectively position MetLife and its businesses among several external constituencies and engaged approximately 66,000 employees around the globe.
Prior to his current role, Rodriguez was chief communications officer at Washington Mutual, where he was responsible for overall strategic communication planning and execution in support of the company’s primary business objectives, its 2,200 offices and more than 40,000 employees across the U.S. In this role, he oversaw all internal and external communications, including, media relations, issues management, employee communications and corporate brand communications.
During his tenure at Washington Mutual, Rodriguez held a number of communications leadership positions, each with increasing levels of responsibility. He built and managed the company’s national public relations staff commensurate with its growth from a regional thrift to the sixth-largest financial services company in the United States. He was selected by the president of the bank as one of six senior managers to participate in an individually tailored executive development program whose purpose was to groom the next generation of executive leaders. Rodriguez subsequently became the company’s highest ranking Latino and the first to be promoted to the ranks of the senior management team.
Rodriguez has over 25 years of communications experience. He has held senior communications positions at several U.S.-based banking institutions, including H.F. Ahmanson & Company, Bank of America, and Security Pacific Corporation.
In 2004, Rodriguez was named one of Hispanic Business Magazine’s “Corporate Elite,” and was INROADS of Southern California, Inc.’s “Board Member of the Year” in 2002. He is a member of the Corporate Executive Council, the International Association of Business Communicators and Public Relations Society of America. He holds a bachelor of science degree in public relations and organizational communications from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.