Global Transaction Services > Associate

Business Description

We have designed these sections to assist you in your understanding of Global Transaction Services, the services we provide to our clients and how we are structured.

What is Global Transaction Services (GTS)?
Global Transaction Services (GTS), a business unit within Markets & Banking, is a leading provider of Cash Management, Trade Services and Finance, and Securities and Fund Services. GTS provides innovative banking solutions to more than 65,000 financial institutions, corporate clients and public sector entities around the world. With a global network spanning over 100 countries, GTS offers a broad range of cash management, treasury, trade, custody, clearing, depositary receipts and agency and trust services.

Our global platform is unique in the industry for its reach, interoperability and flexibility. It provides clients with timely, accurate information and dynamic, web-based tools to effectively manage their securities portfolios, financial positions and supply chains. Our consultative approach and focus on relationship banking enables us to help clients address strategic financial and operating issues, such as working capital and liquidity management, asset management, treasury integration and exposure and risk.

GTS consists of three core businesses: Cash Management, Securities and Fund Services and Trade Services and Finance.

What services do we provide to our clients?
Global Transaction Services offers a broad range of cash management, treasury, trade, custody, clearing, fund administration, securities financing, depositary receipt and agency and trust services. Our global platform is unique in the industry for its reach, interoperability and flexibility. We provide clients with timely, accurate information and dynamic, web-based tools to effectively manage their securities portfolios, financial positions, working capital and supply chain around the world. Combined with a worldwide network of dedicated and experienced transaction services professionals, Global Transaction Services is well suited to serve clients anywhere they do business.

Examples of our broad spectrum of solutions:

• We are the commercial bank to corporations. We help them make and receive payments, optimize their working capital and efficiently connect their financial supply chain. In short, we help treasurers efficiently manage the liquidity in their balance sheet and provide open account credit that facilitates trade with their suppliers and distributors.
• We operate one of the largest proprietary cash and securities clearing networks in the market, and provide "correspondent banking" and securities clearing and settlement solutions to other financial institutions, particularly banks and broker-dealers.
• We provide middle and back office solutions, from fund administration, global custody and fiduciary services to shareholder administration (also known as transfer agency) and securities lending, to asset managers, pension funds and hedge funds. Increasingly, pensions funds and asset managers trade derivatives as part of their portfolio, and we are one of the first in the market with the capability to extend OTC derivatives processing support to this client segment.
• Our agency and trust business supports note issuers in the capital markets, M&A and asset securitization deal-makers, corporate consortia, and more, with paying agency services and corporate trust facilities.
• We deliver operating efficiency to public sector entities. We provide postal agencies with banking infrastructure for their post-banks, extend securities lending and cash management to central banks and help utility companies consolidate and reconcile payments from their end-customers.

How are our products/solutions organized?

GTS consists of three core businesses: Cash Management, Securities and Fund Services and Trade Services and Finance.

Cash Management
Cash Management delivers treasury solutions that empower our clients to optimize visibility, connectivity and control, enabling them to enhance their financial performance. We are one of the largest processors of cash flows globally. Cash Management offers clients over 50 global services, spanning Payments, Receivables, Liquidity and Investments, Information Services and Commercial Cards, all supported by ten regional processing centers worldwide. We lead the industry in our ability to provide global solutions, using award-winning, innovative platforms supported by local experts in markets around the world. Our clients include corporations, financial institutions and governments. The business has been recognized for excellence by many publications including Euromoney, The Banker and Global Finance.

Trade Services and Finance
With the largest trade services network in the world, spanning 72 countries and 104 cities, Trade Services and Finance offers a broad range of solutions that meet our global trade clients' needs. From risk mitigation to financing, settlement to information, Citi's trade experts and four regional processing centers offer around-the clock operations support and deliver world-class solutions to suppliers, buyers and financial institutions. Trade Services and Finance meets the needs of both importers and exporters by providing industry-leading settlement, effective risk mitigation and innovative trade finance solutions - enabling them to safely expand their cross-border trade business around the world.

Securities and Fund Services
Securities and Fund Services is a leader in domestic and cross-border transaction services for the world's investors, intermediaries and issuers with more than $10.4 trillion in assets under custody and trust. Offering the industry's largest proprietary network, Citi consistently ranks as the premier choice for custody, clearing, securities finance, global agency and trust and depositary receipt services in more markets than any other bank, according to industry surveys. Investment managers, broker-dealers and global custodians rely on Citi for authoritative market intelligence, state-of-the-art processing capabilities and responsive client service.

Fund Services is a leading service provider to the global mutual fund, hedge fund and offshore fund industries. Citi has provided turnkey fund services solutions to the investment industry since 1986. Operating in 18 countries, Citi's primary fund administration centers are located in Portland, Maine; Toronto; Bermuda; Edinburgh, U.K.; Dublin, Ireland; Luxembourg; Warsaw; Singapore; Hong Kong; and Tokyo. These operations centers provide a comprehensive set of services to all investment fund structures.

Roles of an Associate

To give you a better understanding of what you can expect if you join Global Transaction Services, we gathered input from our current Associates. Here they describe the some of the roles they have undertaken throughout the Program.

Roles of an Associate:

Strategic projects
Analyze industry trends to identify potential clients needs. The ability to understand a client’s position and value-chain enables GTS to position products and solutions applicable to their customers and target market.

Client involvement
Associates can be involved in all aspects of the client relationship, from working with Sales on new deals and proposals to partnering with Product Management to identify integral solutions to a client's need. The Associate provides a value-added enhancement to the client team.

Workshops and training
Associates participate in various workshops, brainstorming sessions and training sessions along with their business team and Senior Management to identify areas of business growth, product development and customer focus to obtain revenue targets.

Product teams
Associates work directly with the product teams across the Business units to identify and track information and ideas leading to future product enhancements and development.

Examples of what the Business areas do:

Cash Management
Example:
A corporate customer operating globally faces numerous financial challenges. Citi can offer these companies a solution that will help them optimize their working capital. For example, our payments products will help them manage how they pay employees, vendors and account holders. Our liquidity products will help them to invest any surplus cash. And our technology platform, including CitiDirect^® Online Banking and TreasuryVision^®, provides visibility and equips them with a powerful interface to monitor their cash accounts and execute transactions.

We provide cash management and processing services to governments and public sector entities. A government department is responsible for making pension and welfare payments to beneficiaries around the world. Citi efficiently handles the delivery of these payments globally.

Trade Services and Finance
Example:
International trade is the cross-border movement of goods and services that develop from a business transaction between a buyer in one country and a seller in another country. Facilitating cross-border trade has always been one of the most important and traditional roles of the bank - and today, more than ever, trends demonstrate that this role has taken on even greater significance:

Global Trade has quadrupled in the past 20 years, and doubled in the past ten years.  Nine out of Ten mid-size and large global companies state that they now do business in China.  Companies are most concerned about the longer and more unpredictable lead times of going global - and these lead times are making them less responsive to market demands.  The second biggest worry is unanticipated supply chain costs, which are often caused by documentation errors and logistics "hiccups."  Supply chain management costs represent more than 10% of cost of sales. Citi plays a role in all of this as we help bring together buyers and sellers to supply needed goods and services across cities, states, countries, and continents. With the decline of the traditional documentary methods of trade such as letters of credit, clients increasingly call upon us to add value by managing and reporting on information flows, by assessing and mitigating risk, and by providing new forms of financing.

We come to our customers with extensive knowledge of trade flows, legal and regulatory requirements, and country-specific information. Trade Services and Finance offers the broad range of solutions that meet our global trade customers' needs – all delivered by our global team of trade experts and an array of products that help importers and exporters conduct, monitor, and control international commercial transactions as well as mitigate their associated risks.

Securities and Fund Services
Example:
Investment companies manage mutual funds, trust investments, separately managed accounts and pooled institutional assets. Investment companies manage these assets in a series of portfolios, but execute trades across, all at once. We offer clients like these a suite of Asset Manager Solutions that automate or outsource all or some of their operations, which enable the company to focus on their core competency (managing money). Through our Asset Manager Solutions we are able to partner with our clients to improve efficiency, meet regulatory requirements and provide access to new markets.

A client of Citi (i.e., corporation, investment manager, government agency etc.) is a participant in several financial markets around the world. This client needs to buy and sell securities, collect income (i.e., dividends and interest payments) and respond to corporate actions for the securities they own. Citi has clearinghouse memberships with all major financial institutions around the world and a host of developing markets. Citi also has the largest network of banks or agent banks with locations in 110 countries. This elaborate infrastructure allows our clients to perform securities transactions around the world from one location or multiple places if needed.

Our Programs

Global Transaction Services in North America has two programs you can apply for:

• Full time Associate Program
• Summer Associate Program

Full time Program

The Full Time Associate Program commences in August. The training program is offered in phases over the course of the program, and is taught by senior level professionals within the firm in conjunction with consultants who are committed to providing you with the best training program on Wall Street. We approach each module with a practical focus, encouraging Associates to “learn by doing.” The modules include a combination of individual and group homework, exercises, case studies, and presentations.

The Global Transaction Services Associate program is an eighteen-month rotational program for new MBA graduates within the various divisions which comprise Global Transaction Services: Global Cash Management, Global Trade, Securities Services and Funds Services.

GTS Associates are placed in two consecutive nine-month rotations. The type of project and deliverable for each rotation will vary according to placement. Placements are determined based upon the Associate's interest level and business need. Cross business rotations are strongly encouraged.

For top performers, there is also an opportunity for an international assignment upon completion of the second rotation.

Citi's most important resource is our people, and new Associates are encouraged to get to know their colleagues. As such, you'll notice the emphasis on networking, mentoring, and socializing.

Summer Associate Program

The Summer Associate Program begins in June with a three-day training program. The three-day program is designed to equip you with the skills necessary to perform like a full-time Associate for the ten-week duration of the internship. Past assignments have included: 

• Managing a distinct segment of a distribution network end-to-end, gaining a comprehensive understanding of a business segment within the Global Cash Management division
• Developing new finance and credit programs within the Trade division
• Evaluating potential new product/market opportunities in conjunction with product managers globally to help drive increased revenues within the Securities Services and Funds Services division

Additionally, a comprehensive mentor program, a busy social calendar, a thorough review process and constant interaction with senior professionals gives you every opportunity to learn about and understand Citi, its culture and its people. Many summer associates are invited to join the full-time program upon successful completion of the internship.

Summer Diaries

Name:  Theresa Condor
Group:  Trade Sales
School:  Columbia University, SIPA

Week 1 & 2

My manager called to welcome me to the program a week before the summer start date. We discussed my goals for the summer and some of the projects I would be tackling. My manager was very receptive to accommodating my interests and ensuring that I had the opportunity to experience all aspects of the business. It was a very positive first impression; I started the first day at work already knowing how I fit into the team.

The first week of the program, all Summer Associates received a one-day overview of GTS. The majority of my training consisted of on-the-job conversations with trade experts on the team and attendance at conference calls and meetings. I was impressed at how willing my manager was to give me assignments right away – I was given some basic guidance and then dove right into projects with ample room to ask questions along the way.

The SIPA Alumni and my directors each had an open door policy---they were very willing to offer advice on making the most of my summer program. Both provided the appropriate mix of encouragement and concrete recommendations. They challenged me to prove my capabilities and take control of shaping my experiences. In my second week on the job, I was allowed to start making client phone calls on my own and gain more exposure to senior management in various divisions.

Week 3 & 4

The executive lunches provided an ideal opportunity to learn more detail about the different GTS businesses. I set up meetings with the global heads of trade sales and trade. I attended a number of meetings with relationship managers in the ABF division in an effort to identify new trade clients. My direct exposure with Cash Management and SFS was limited, yet conversations and events with other Summer Associates and Full Time Associates made up the difference.

GTS Recruiters organized a number of great events for our Associate class that enabled us to further bond as a group and to explore the city. These included attending a renowned Off-Broadway show, a scavenger hunt around Times Square, a tour of Grand Central Terminal, and a tour of the New York Federal Reserve. The distinguished speaker series gave us all the opportunity to see presentations by senior management within the bank (e.g., CEO-Chuck Prince). In addition to learning about Citi’s strategic direction and macro financial trends, many of the speakers provided inspirational words about their own start as summer interns. This created a ready network of individuals available to discuss their function and experiences within GTS. It was inspirational to learn about the backgrounds of highly successful people and engage in direct conversation with them.

I was soon assigned to three separate projects that enabled me to gain exposure across product sets and job functions. My work encompassed sales work and client interaction, portfolio and risk analysis, and high-level strategic thinking. The most exciting assignment was working with a relatively new trade finance product. With only one client implementation completed, I was able to learn along with the rest of the team as we considered new structures to meet the specific needs of potential new clients.

Although I was assigned to work in trade sales, I had significant interaction with partners across other job functions. Whether it was working with relationship managers, account managers, or product managers, I learned how all parts of the organization fit together and complement each other’s roles. It seems like there is always something new to learn about Citi. The ongoing webinar training opportunities and comprehensive internal websites provided a continued source of information throughout the summer.

Week 5 - 8 

By the time of my midsummer review, I was analyzing distribution finance deals and preparing deal review documents. I engaged in correspondence with trade colleagues in Asia as if I was a regular part of the team. During the review, my manager was receptive to any feedback I had and was willing to let me gravitate toward my interests.

The most appealing parts of my day at Citi were the conversations I had with some of the team members under whom I worked. During these times I learned about different product structures, asked questions, and was challenged to work through answers out loud. They also provided an informal opportunity to learn about the work that colleagues had done before moving into trade and their own strategies for successfully navigating within the Firm. Some of these conversations were unique to trade because they involved more corporate finance and credit knowledge at a global level.

Throughout the summer I engaged in phone calls and e-mails with colleagues and clients around the world. Sometimes this involved conference calls from home at 9pm or early morning meetings to accommodate different time zones. I enjoyed learning about the platforms and products offered in other regions as well as the regulatory issues that affect deal structures. These experiences amongst others met and exceeded my expectations about the summer program within GTS.

Week 9 & 10

I had been integrated as part of the Citi team in only ten weeks and I would miss being part of it. The types of projects I worked on combined with the friendliness of my team created a phenomenal lasting impression. For example, I provided timely support to the sales team by showing the willingness to attack projects and tasks. At the end of the summer, the sales team was able to hand me projects and be confident that I would produce a quality deliverable.

For future interns, I advise you to set up as many informational interviews as possible across the business groups. That’s the best way to meet people in GTS and learn about the types of roles available - there are numerous opportunities within GTS that cannot be identified simply by looking at the website. Students should also be willing to direct questions to the Graduate Recruitment team, who have experience working within the business groups and know the ins and outs of GTS.

Overall, I will continue to keep in touch with my Associate class and many in the trade department---they have taught me so much about the business and given me the opportunity to prove myself. This was an amazing experience that helped me to establish lasting relationships at both personal and professional levels.

Name:  Chuannan (Lance) Mu
Group:  Cash - Pricing
School:  University of Texas at Austin

Week 1 & 2

The first thing I noticed about Citi was the professionalism, even before I came to work for GTS. Every time I wrote an e-mail to our Recruiters, they replied almost immediately and solved my problem - it never took more than a day. No other firm that I am aware of did a better job in this respect. Amazing!

I settled down in Hoboken, New Jersey. It is small quiet town just across the Hudson River, a nice place to live after the crowded working hours in Manhattan. It took me 45 minutes from home to office each day, not bad in New York. I enjoyed walking by the riverside of Hoboken, with the amazing view of Manhattan.

There were ten Summer Associates, and we got to know each other pretty quickly. Then came the 24 Summer Analysts. When everyone started---we had a networking event at a venue nearby. There were so many events scheduled by the Recruiters for summer interns.

The first show I went to in New York was The Blue Man Group. I would describe the show in one word, “performance.” This comprised: percussion, music, video, drama, and audience interaction. I really enjoyed the show and hope in the future I will be able to see more like it.

The most challenging thing for me in the beginning was learning the structure of Citi. GTS is one department under Global Banking. I guess there are nearly one thousand employees in GTS, and probably half of them are working for Cash Management (my division). After almost a week, I understood that Citi is a “Matrix” organization - departments and groups are formed vertically around products and horizontally across functions.

Week 3 & 4

I worked in the Pricing and U.S. deal review team. I chose this position since I wanted to get exposure to all U.S. deals and understand the business at a faster pace. The pricing team reviews nearly all Cash products deals for U.S., encompassing payments, deliverables, information products, liquidity and investment products.

I met my manager and received my assignment. I would be working on a comparative pricing analysis project for the next ten weeks. The objective was to understand how Citi’s pricing on cash products compares to that of the competitors or the market average. The pricing team has a database of about 1000 deals that they have priced for the last three years. I was to concentrate on 300 deals. I categorized the sample pool by products, win/loss, and sector. Then I compared it with 2/3 party survey data on bank service pricing.

After statistical analysis, I interviewed different people involved in a deal (e.g., sales people and product managers) in order to obtain their perspective on how pricing affected the win/loss status of the deal. The ideal goal was to recommend a proper pricing ranging to help us win deals while not losing too much profit.

I had to learn what all the products were before moving forward. From what I had learned there were four groups for cash management: payments, receivables, liquidity, and information services. For each group, there could be two to ten different products, which have acronyms (e.g. under payments=ACH, FT, CD, CPS). Some products have several names: old name and new name, product name and “marketing” name. I had to understand the product, how this service works so that I could understand how to conduct the pricing analysis on a specific product. Citi has done a great job of putting all these resources together and classifying them in a port called “my GTS.” Talking to different people, especially product managers, was another effective way to understand the products. By using examples and analogies, they gave me a much deeper understanding of products than just reading presentations in “my GTS.”

The Graduate Recruitment team arranged a series of events for the Summer Associates, including cultural events, lectures, executive lunches and coffee talks. We met Denise Menelly, the Global Head of GTS Client Delivery, early on in the program. She has been working in client delivery for more than ten years and shared a lot of her career development with us. This was by far one of the best speeches - practical knowledge helped me to better understand the company.

Week 5 & 6

I expected to work smoothly on the project once I learned the products - I was wrong. To analyze the pricing trends and make comparisons, I needed to use the pricing data collected by the pricing team for the past three years. The pricing team maintains at least 2 internal access databases, with different information. I had to use the information in both databases to create an analysis. It was difficult to link the information between these two databases, because there wasn’t a primary key (a column with same information in two databases so things can be matched). People may use a short company name in one database, but use a longer name in the other database, so items cannot be matched automatically. My task was to update the information and clean up the database, making it easier for cross-reference.

It took me more than two weeks to update the databases, and establish a primary key to link them. It was worthwhile; I learned a lot about details about these products in the process.

I felt the progress on my project was slow when I started, but in week six, things began to pick up. My mid-term review was extremely helpful. My manager listened to my full-time interest with Citi and recommended product management. Product managers take charge of the cash management products, and manage product P&L. It was very evident that my manager truly cared about my thoughts and wanted me to do well.

Week 7 & 8

After cleaning up the databases, I did the analysis on the relatively simple and “small” products (Demand Deposit Account) and presented it to my manager and the pricing team. Thanks to their advice, we agreed on the methods of analysis and the format of report.

I proceeded to more sophisticated products (ACH, Control Disbursement, Lockbox). In the discussion with my manager, I got an idea of plotting the price and volume of each deal on a X-Y scatter chart, trying to catch the trends of different kinds of deals in a “loosely vague” way, rather than a “exactly accurate” way. This X-Y scatter chart was the most straightforward way of looking at all deals and would hopefully lead me to a conclusion.

By grouping the win deals by pricing factor and loss deals by factors other than pricing, the finding was: the average price of win deals was higher than loss deals. The price of deals lost due to pricing was usually the lowest price. This tells us that the win deals and loss deals must be different in nature: Some clients are more price tolerant so we win the deals, however, for some other clients, no matter how low we priced the deals, we still lose the deal! After all this hard work, it was refreshing to have a break and hear from Paul Galant, CEO of GTS.

We had an executive lunch and distinguished speaker series with him. You could feel his passion and drive, as he talked about how to set an aggressive revenue growth goal and stretch to reach it. Paul Galant grew the business from $2B annual revenue in 2003 to $7B in 2006. It was no wonder that he became the CEO of GTS at the age of 38.

Week 9 & 10

In the last week, I presented my findings to Amol Gupte the Head of U.S. Cash. From the beginning, my manager told me that this project could not be finished in 10 weeks. I carried out analysis on all major cash products, revealed the whole picture, and had some discussion with product and salespeople. Amol thought I had plowed the seeds in this project.

In summary, I liked the internship at Citi a lot. I worked on a project that added value to the business and I got to know the Summer Associates and Analysts very well. I enjoyed the distinguished speaker series and executive dinners because they gave me inspirations on possible career paths. The program was structured so well that my expectations were exceeded and I will look forward to returning in 2008.

To future interns: don’t always work on the path designed a week ago. The constant changing business needs demand you to review your path constantly.

Who we are looking for

We asked our GTS recruiters to describe what makes a strong candidate and what specific skills they are looking for.

We are seeking candidates who are highly motivated and have superior academic achievement in a wide variety of disciplines, as well as significant commercial work experience. Successful applicants demonstrate evidence of their strong communication and interpersonal skills, commitment to excellence and leadership qualities and possess solid quantitative ability.

A successful candidate typically would demonstrate:

• Ability to work independently and in a team
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• High levels of self-motivation and initiative
• Superior relationship building-skills
• Creative and innovative problem-solving skills
• Good understanding of the industry/environment
• Strong analytical skills
• Commitment to excellence
• Excellent attention to detail
• Proven leadership skills
• Financial expertise, and comfortable with handling a variety of analytical assignments
• Ability to demonstrate presence and professionalism with clients
• Unquestionable ethics, an understanding of the implications of decisions and a respect for client confidentiality

Recruitment Process

Full Time Associate

Markets & Banking begins the formal full time MBA recruiting process in early September in the form of an on-campus presentation. All students are invited to attend this event to learn more about the culture, the business and the people at Citi.

Following that, job descriptions are posted through university career centers. After all resumes have been collected, a closed, targeted list of first-round interview candidates is compiled.

First round interviews take place on-campus in mid to late September and successful interviewees are invited directly to final-round interviews (Super Days) in October. Citi on-campus interviews are typically 30 minutes; Super Days typically consist of three 30-minute interviews. Offers are extended as soon as possible after the Super Day concludes.

Summer Associate

Our Summer Analyst recruiting begins in January in the form of an on-campus presentation. All students are invited to attend this event to learn more about the culture, the business, and the people at Citi.

Following that, job descriptions are posted through university career centers. After all resumes have been collected, a closed, targeted list of first-round interview candidates is compiled.

First-round interviews take place on-campus in mid to late January and successful interviewees are invited directly to final round interviews (Super Days) in late January to early February. Offers are extended as soon as possible after the Super Day concludes.

The following summarizes the stages of the Associate recruitment process:

Stage 1: Application is reviewed by Graduate Recruitment and the Business

Stage 2: First-round on-campus interview.
               One, 30-minute interview

Stage 3: Final-round interviews (Super Day)
               Three, 30 minute interviews

Stage 4: Offer extended by Graduate Recruitment team

Please note: Final-round interviews (Super Days) take place in the office where the position is located (e.g., if applicant is interviewing for a position in NY, the final round will take place in the NY office).

Our People

Paul D. Army BA American International College - MBA AIC Director

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

The commitment and dedication that you applied towards your degree(s) know transitions into your career. A new focus towards yet more successful milestones needs to be decided upon day one.

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

A very rewarding career that has allowed me to see and do things that I would have never fathomed within the Business world.

Describe the most memorable experience you've ever had at Citi.

I still remember the day I was offered to run my first satellite site in Chicago...Seems like yesterday…Being a young manager at a remote site with over 100 folks reporting into you where you are HR/Technology/IMP/Operations all in one was a tremendous step in my development process here at Citi.

What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?

PEOPLE and the fact that every day is unique and offers us all a chance to grow and develop.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

Our dedicated Citibankers within our existing Talent Pool who are always sharing best practices. In this day and age at Citi it is very difficult to locate Units that work in silos – this is a positive thing.

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

My team is very passionate about their daily job responsibilities – End to End.

What other groups do you liaise with regularly within the Firm?

The Units I manage allow me to work with my cross functional partners from: Technology, Client Services, Implementations, Human Resources, FINCON, Sales, Product, Marketing.

What outside influences have the most bearing on what you do day to day, and how do they affect you? (e.g., economic news, world markets, company data, etc.)?

Market Data on where are Competition is today and where they are going strategically along with Market demands from our Clients.

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

I have transferred my Fincon/accounting/capacity/unit cost studies into my day to day workings...Many of the other skills have been fine tuned with “real world 101” classes over my past 16 years.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

People Skills, People skills, People Skills and have I mentioned People skills….

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

I am heavily involved with the Mentoring program, Multiple Charities, CHIMES(Working with The State of DE and their Autistic work program).

How has Citi supported your career development?

Citi has allowed me to grow beyond my early career aspirations. GTS senior management has always taken the time to place opportunities in front of you supporting each and every path I may have finally decided upon.

Describe your experience in your specific training program.

The program is fine tuned to allow folks to share best practices and air their opinions while at the same time opening up a vast net work.

How do you see the your business group/the Firm/the industry changing in the future?

In our environment we understand the need to move the majority of our Business to full image capabilities.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Continue to expand my existing GTS mgmt footprint over the next 3 years while preparing for a much larger MD role in NA.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family. Playing Ice Hockey with my oldest son, taking my youngest son to his beginner Ice hockey classes or watching my daughter at her dance/piano recitals. Family life and work balance is a key to your overall success.

Weslley Bonifacio MBA, University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business (2005); BS in Computer Engineering, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil (1999) Global Remittance Brand Manager

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

In Cash Management - Global Payments, the diversity of its personnel is something that stands out in the day-by-day activities. People in the group not only bring a different perspective but also are always open to each others views. This characteristic is crucial to a global business with so many variables and interdependencies as ours.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

The great advantage that Citi has in the marketplace is its global footprint. This is particularly true for Global Transaction Services, a business that has a presence in more than 100 countries and is able to compete efficiently with each one of the local players in a wide range of products.

What other groups do you liaise with regularly within the Firm?

As Im part of a team that is launching a new product, Im dealing with a great variety of groups such as Financial Control, Technology, Operations, Client Delivery, Sales, Marketing, and Legal. Besides all of the functional partners, I also deal daily with my counterparts (Product Managers) from the Regional and Country level.

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

Im fortunate to say that Im able to use almost every skill that I gained during my MBA experience. From business requirements definitions to segmenting and targeting our customers; from revenue forecast and analysis to strategy definition; every day I keep thinking about the concepts that I learned in Business School and how to use them in our product.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I love to go out with my fiancée' and friends for some drinks and a good chat. I also like to practice outdoor activities such as jogging and beach volleyball. A good movie at home on Friday nights is always a good way to spend my spare time.

Diane R Conner BA / Virginia State University Director

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

School was theory and the workplace is the real world where theory is applied but does not always work as planned. Being flexible, expecting and embracing change, demonstrate leadership and enjoy each day is road to success. Find successful mentors and sponsors and maintain an updated network. Stay in touch with others while staying abreast of your job responsibilities and the current climate at the workplace.

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

Dynamic and invigorating career at Citi where the opportunities are plenty.

Describe the most memorable experience you've ever had at Citi.

I was asked to train new methodology to all regions. I learned different cultures, traveled globally and have people all around the globe that I continue to work with. Oh, And I also learned how to teach.

What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?

Each day is a new beginning.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

Flexibility and ability to move around the organization.

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

Logic and investigation skills are used in Risk Management. This is what was needed to resolve accounting practice and theory problems. Similar reasoning applies.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Strong leadership and analytical skills. Interpersonal skills as we work with others all the time. Patience is a must.

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

Women’s Council co-chair of Branches and Developing Talent; mentoring; financial training; Women & Co seminars.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Reading and gardening are very relaxing.

What is the most interesting fact about yourself?

I have a pleasant personality and am always attracted to meeting and introducing new people. I have a special smile and a laughter that has become my brand. But I am a very serious extrovert.

Ron DeRenzo BS- Wagner College Director

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

A candidate needs to be able to carry forward the good habits developed over the course of their formal education (to date) and discard the bad habits which might haunt them from their undergraduate years. Remember that college life is simply the start of an education process which has no end, so don’t think that you know it all, and that you no longer have to work hard to progress. A successful candidate should have the same drive and energy that made them a successful student. Focus on improving each day and establish a network of colleagues that you can look towards for advice and direction.

Describe the most memorable experience you've ever had at Citi.

I was given the opportunity to represent Citi at the Jimmy Carter Habitat for Humanity build in Puebla Mexico. It was clearly the highlight of my professional career. I was privileged enough to participate in an effort which resulted in the construction of 150 homes in little over one week. During that week, I had the good fortune of meeting and working with Citi volunteers from around the globe, dining with President and Mrs. Carter and working side by side volunteers from around the world. In addition, I was asked to represent Citi at the closing ceremony, which was attended by several thousand people on site and was broadcast live on Mexican television. The speech I delivered on behalf of our team was heartfelt and the reaction I received was quite humbling. In the end, the most memorable experience I have ever had at Citi was turning over keys for a new home to a very deserving family. That is what Citi is all about. Special people making a difference all around the world!

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

In over 100 countries, we are as big as any local bank, bigger than most foreign banks and the biggest presence of any American institution. That is our goal and that is a true competitive advantage.

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

I look at the team of people I surround myself with as an extended family. I often refer to them as such and feel very fortunate that we have developed that type of rapport in our department. I feel the privileged to be leading this team and realize that we are all in this together. We are here to service our clients, to support each other and to protect our franchise. The team has hard working, energetic professionals who produce a quality product day in and day out. We are very diverse and we celebrate that diversity on a daily basis.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

You need to be innovative, analytical and need to develop networking skills. You will quickly learn to think out of the box, to think through problems and solutions completely and that you need others to achieve a goal. Networking is truly a skill that needs to be developed and embraced.

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

Citi is a place where each individual can make a difference. As a member of an active Citi Tampa community, I work with the local Habitat for Humanity as a volunteer and Board member. I also work with the VA hospital to help those recovering from injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If you could have dinner with anyone (past or present) who would it be and why?

I think I would like to have dinner with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. These two men have fundamentally changed the way we live our lives and I’d like to see what the future holds from their prospective. I would also like to see who would pick up the tab.

Chavi Jafa Masters in International Affairs/ Columbia - School of International and Public Affairs Associate

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

Without doubt it would be Citi’s globality and diversity. In a world where business is becoming more interdependent, a presence in over a 100 countries, coupled with the innovation that has always been synonymous with Citi is what gives it its competitive edge.

What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?

Two things
1. It’s a meritocracy -- intelligence and good ideas are respected and rewarded.
2. It’s a big thinking company --- no idea is too big or too impossible to explore.

The first excites me; the second keeps me coming back!

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

Very well! I went to an International Affairs school. While the international business and finance courses provided the necessary tools to understand the complexities of my business, the international emphasis of the learning was what I believe gave me a very solid foundation and the ability to grasp and contribute to a business that’s global, and growing across the world.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Teamwork and initiative are absolutely essential to success in this organization. Apart from that a thorough understanding of the industry dynamics and business drivers is critical.

How did your summer internship help you make the decision to pursue a career at Citi?

Three observations helped me decide during my summer internship within GTS, that I wanted to return as a full time associate. The people who were dynamic and driven and constantly looking for new ideas; the tremendous opportunity for career growth; and the focus on being an industry leader in the business which we were in. All of these coupled with the good work life balance that the group respected tipped the scale.

How has Citi supported your career development?

I was part of the Associate program, which being a rotational program provided me the opportunity to work in different businesses within GTS as well as in different functional roles (product management, sales, client management). The experience was akin to hands on training, allowing me to develop various business skills, grow professionally and gain company wide exposure. Coming out of the program I was able to make a more informed decision on where I wanted to spend the next few years (currently within the product team in the Cash Management business) and was better equipped in terms of skills to contribute effectively to my role.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Traveling and music are my main interests. This year is dedicated to discovering the North American continent and playing the piano. The highlight of my week however continues to remain Wednesday evenings with my two delightful nephews!

John Ladany BS Duke, MBA Virginia Director

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

I guess that I could point to almost anything in the room that was imported and explain how Citi helps one company overseas to produce it and another company in the U.S. to import it for sale domestically. There is a whole “unseen” world of banking transactions that support the $17 trillion in annual world trade flows.

What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?

Competing with the other banks in our line of business—whether it’s for a new client, a new hire, or the first to market with a new service. It’s quite a thrill to win a multi-million dollar RFP going against your industry peers.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

In my particular business, Trade Services and Finance, it is clearly our global presence and risk appetite. Few other banks can match our operational capabilities across 113 cities in 72 countries combined with a willingness to bank the Fortune 1000, multinationals, top tier local corporates, and small and medium size enterprises around the world. This enables Citi to cover all sides of a transaction, delivering end-to-end service, and explains why we are a leader in helping companies to finance their global supply chains.

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

We have an interesting variety of people—men and women, many nationalities, some young and some older, some exclusively Citibankers, and some “imported” from other banks and corporations. It is a quite a mix and provides a wide knowledge base to support our clients. We look to our analysts and associates for their energy and enthusiasm and to help keep things lively.

What other groups do you liaise with regularly within the Firm?

My role is global—supporting other Trade product managers, financial institution relationship managers, Trade sales specialists, and customer service and administrative units around the world. So it is not unusual to be dealing with a dozen different countries on any given day. I liaise not only with my colleagues in Trade, but also members of the GTS Cash team as we work on joint USD RFPs and exchange sales leads.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Communication skills are very important—especially the ability to write well, whether for an RFP response, a marketing slip sheet, an article in a trade journal, or a presentation. Equally important is perseverance when you are trying to create a product or solve a problem with global implications. Many different people have to be brought into the equation, and the process can be less than smooth, but I have also found that the end result of merging so many different opinions is often a thorough, comprehensive solution.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Gardening and cycling. My wife complains that I also watch too much TV, but I’m addicted to Lost. We got tired of fighting the weekend traffic to the Jersey shore and purchased a country home in Delaware County, New York that dates back to the 1880’s. Restoring it has been a lot of fun. Probably the hardest physical thing I ever did was “The Longest Ride” where you bike from High Point to Cape May, New Jersey in a single day—210 miles!

Michael H. Lewis Jr. BBA & MBA University of Michigan New Bussiness Development Officer

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

If it can be avoided try not to have lot of personal things going on in your life (i.e. planning a wedding, buying a piece of property etc.) when you start your new job. In the first six months to a year it is very beneficial to you to be able to focus the majority of your capacity on making a great impression.

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

There are some people that go out on a boat and fish there are other people that go out on a boat and facilitate the fisher men. I, as a GTS employee, am the facilitator of the financial markets.

Describe the most memorable experience you've ever had at Citi.

I spent six weeks in Culver City, California to help secure the passport business we were awarded from the U.S. federal government. I, along with two-hundred other employees from across the country, were sent to Culver City to ensure that Citi serviced the federal government adequately. This experience demonstrated to me the depth of resources Citi can draw upon to accomplish a mission. It also showed me how Citi rewards its employees for a job well done. For my stint in Culver City I was given a bonus of $4,000 net (they planned it that way).

What about your career excites you the most - gets you out of bed in the morning?

My career at Citi allows me to do exactly what I wanted to do, which is face clients and present them with solutions. I also get to see the effects of Wall Street on America first hand.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

Size, Real Global Presence and Instituted Knowledge Base.

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

Hard Working, Fun Loving and Extremely Diverse.

What other groups do you liaise with regularly within the Firm?

Citi Smith Barney, Citi Global Markets Inc, Citi Private Bank.

What outside influences have the most bearing on what you do day to day, and how do they affect you? (e.g., economic news, world markets, company data, etc.)?

Economic movements that cause capital to shift in new directions directly affect my job. An example would be the retirement of the baby boomers which has created a growth in the separately managed account industry. Citi, in anticipation of this, developed a separately managed account outsourcing platform that I can offer as a solution to my customers.

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

My knowledge of finance that I obtained from my degrees are used extensively in my day-to-day interactions with investment managers. Discussions of increasing alpha, global security markets and foreign exchange execution are common place in my profession.

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

I teach banking skills to adults using Citi’s Financial Education Curriculum.
I Participated in Citi MLK Day community involvement project.
I am a mentor for Alan Houston’s entrepreneurship program – Citi Smith Barney.

How has Citi supported your career development?

My goal was to become a sales person in GTS and Citi provided me with the time and training needed to immerse myself in the Securities industry.

How do you see the your business group/the Firm/the industry changing in the future?

With an ever intensifying regulatory environment and competitive landscape, it becomes more difficult for the investment community to adapt to all the changes being thrust upon them. Thus, large scale servicing organizations like GTS become the desirable partner for these organizations because we have the ability to adhere to the changes in the external environment which empowers our partners to succeed.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

An expert in the securities servicing industry, leading a team of sales people.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I DJ rap music in the city at night clubs.
I mentor and teach.
I cook and BBQ in the city.

What is the most interesting fact about yourself?

I’m a combat war time veteran. Artillery: during Desert Storm.

Queen Nworisara-Quinn Master in Public Policy, Harvard University Associate

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

Citi’s competitive advantage lies in its people and its global footprint. We have experienced and dedicated people around the world who have local market expertise and immense experience working with best in class technology. We’re in over 100 countries and hold $1.4 billion in total assets. Everyday, our goal is to deliver superior service to meet any operational or financial need.

What other groups do you liaise with regularly within the Firm?

On a regular basis, I liaise with people across the firm within prime brokerage, operations, relationship management and the private bank. We make a concerted effort to leverage all of Citi’s unique services and platforms to deliver the best support to the client. Our goal is to deliver on the value proposition of “One Citi”, a premier financial services company large enough to provide universal access to meet our client’s needs.

What outside influences have the most bearing on what you do day to day, and how do they affect you? (e.g., economic news, world markets, company data, etc.)?

In the alternatives investment industry, we continuously see a great deal of operational complexity, given the growth of OTC derivatives. Investment managers need transparent and independent pricing of these securities otherwise they can face poor valuation of securities and in the worst cases, the eventual collapse of the fund. In addition, as government entities look to mandate regulatory requirements in the hedge fund and private equity space, we anticipate greater operational complexity for managers, given the potential for increased regulatory oversight. As a service provider, we have to be one step ahead, constantly thinking of how our solutions can help clients improve their transparency, asset valuations, and operational procedures using our administration services.

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

My background in finance has proven to be extremely beneficial for my role in AI administration sales. I have been able to rely significantly on my training to understand the complex strategies and financial instruments employed by fund managers. Understanding the basics of portfolio theory has been immensely valuable in my discussions with investment managers; I’m able to ask relevant and insightful questions to better understand their operational and financial needs.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Being an active listener is advantageous in any sales position. We have to clearly understand and articulate the complex operational needs of our clients. Strong analytical and problem solving skills are also critical for success as a product sales consultant.

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

Through Citi, I was able to participate in the Global Community Day. Myself and several other employees from Citi were able to volunteer at a local public school in upper Manhattan. Through the work of several participants we were able to transform and rejuvenate the façade of the school. It was incredible to see the faces of the kids when they saw their school, with a fresh new coat of paint and a brand new playground.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Outside of work I really enjoy traveling; in addition to taking classes on film production, photography and creative writing.