The Citi that Never Sleeps

I've been so busy last month. And now is the right time to break up with busy because it's Labor Day today.  I have been working on a partnership between two financial giants (Citi and G-Cash) and it's been amazing. This project involves a lot of computations hahaha I like math and I'm pretty good at it. However, it stresses me out a bit. I have to face figures, solve for the numbers, and derive insights. Weirdly enough, all of these tasks can also make my work very fulfilling.  I am also working on another high-impact initiative that I am not yet allowed to disclose. I am hoping that it launches by May 2021. Despite the business-as-usual scenario, it's hard to function normally given the news regarding the exit.

As you’ve probably heard or read, Citi is closing its consumer and retail operations in the Philippines and other 12 markets across Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The group decided to focus on building consumer profiles at the 4 wealth hubs (Singapore, HK, London, and UAE) as part of its strategy refresh. So what does this mean for PH? For the employees? For me? So Citi’s businesses are divided into 2 major groups. We have the Institutional Clients Group (ICG) and the Global Consumer Banking (GCB). In the Philippines and other countries, ICG will remain. This essentially includes your Treasury and Trade and your Markets and Securities— where you simply always hear the buzz words “stocks”, “bonds”, and “mutual funds”, to name a few. What’s going to exit is the GCB group. Your credit cards, loans, deposits, and wealth management are part of this bucket. ICG employees will be fine. GCB employees, on the other hand, are floating. My peers and I work for GCB. Although it is Business As Usual (BAU), it’s so difficult to function knowing that everything is so uncertain. Technically, we’re all in the same worry boat. However, I am very hopeful that a local or an international bank will acquire Citi’s GCB portfolio plus the employees. Why? We have a very strong and attractive portfolio, which most banks envy of. They would love to have what we have. We have the best financial instruments in the market because we are obsessed with our client’s needs. Most importantly, we have the best people who make everything possible. Believe it or not, I met some of the smartest people in this company. And by smartest, I mean people to watch out in the financial industry. I met a nurse who topped the accountancy board exams. I met a physicist who is also a dedicated musician. I met a doctor and a lawyer all in one. I met a math wiz who loves to play games all day and night. Despite the differences in credentials and interests, they’re all so competent that they can handle things way beyond their expertise.

Internship season circa 2019; Launch of Citi Global Wallet

Consumer Ops Management Analysts Batch 2020 (yes, we're only 4 in the Philippines)

Whatever happens, Citi will always have my heart. The company was the first international group that saw my potential as a woman in Finance. Citi gave me a lot of opportunities--specifically, my internship and MA roles. I started as an intern at Citi and now, I ended up working full time as a management analyst in the company. These opportunities did not only give me avenues to grow as a person and as a professional but also chances to form life-long friendships among my peers and network. Funnily enough, working for Citi made me realize that even if I usually tell my peers that I hate math, I can’t deny the fact that am pretty good at it HAHAHAHAHAH whatever happens, my mission to build a financially inclusive society remains. Thank you, Citi for all the opportunities. This is not a goodbye but rather an ode to a firm that shaped who I am today. Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. We're definitely in this together.

Always,

Ki