Management Associate Program > MBA

Our Programs

Citi Markets & Banking’s Asia-Pacific network (excluding Japan) provides a full array of commercial, corporate and investment banking services throughout the region. Our extensive Asian branch network, with specialists and banking professionals who speak the local language, provides local and cross-border solutions and superior technology to our customers. Our Management Associate Program prepares you to take on one of these critical roles in Citi Markets & Banking.

About The Program

The objective of the program is to develop high-potential individuals for leadership roles in the areas of corporate banking, transaction services (Cash, Trade and Securities), sales and trading, risk management, operations and technology and financial control.

Management Associates exhibit strong leadership skills, flexibility and innovative thinking that will help them face the exciting challenges of working for a powerful and diverse financial services institution. At Citi, we have a team-oriented approach that emphasizes knowledge sharing and collaboration. Management Associates entering the Program will not only acquire advanced financial and technical knowledge, but also the leadership and interpersonal skills that will allow them to maximize their potential early and to define their own career.

The Program is 12 - 14 months in duration and includes a combination of classroom and on-the-job training, job assignments, and formal mentoring.

Training & Development

Management Associates attend a regional core developmental program that takes place in Shanghai or Manila. It is a 6-week intensive program that offers a comprehensive foundation of all corporate and investment banking products through a combination of classroom training, group projects and presentations. You will be exposed to the best-in-class product modules to gain essential knowledge and skills as you embark on your career at Citi. 

The six-week core training covers:

• Basic industry skills and knowledge

• Financial statements and accounting

• Risk

• Corporate Banking and Transaction Services products

• Investment Banking and Capital Markets Products

What happens after the program ends?

The Management Associates program concludes in a job placement.

Who we are looking for

We asked our Management Associate Program recruiters to describe what makes a good candidate and what specific skills they are looking for:

• Undergraduate / Masters / MBA degree  

• Strong academic performance

• Leadership potential

• Strong planning, project management and quantitative skills

• Results-oriented, with strong initiative and integrity

• Flexibility, adaptability and resilience to work in a challenging environment

• Global mindset

• Commitment to a career in financial services

Recruitment Process

We open for applications on September 3, 2007

Country	Application Deadline(s)	Remarks
China	December 31, 2007	Masters ONLY
Hong Kong	March 31, 2008: Country MA Program March 31, 2008: Operations & Technology MA Program March 31, 2008: Finance MA Program	Tri-lingual candidates preferred: English/ Cantonese/ Mandarin
India	All Year Round: Country MA Program All Year Round: Operations & Technology MA Program
Indonesia	January 31, 2008: Country MA Program (April 2008 intake) July 31, 2008: Country MA Program (September 2008 intake) March 31, 2008: Internship Program (between May 1 and August 31, 2008)	Masters ONLY
Korea	October 19, 2007: Country MA Program (August 2008 intake)	MBAs ONLY
Malaysia	April 30, 2008	Undergraduate With minimum 2 years of work experience, or Masters / MBAs
Philippines	All Year Round
Singapore	October 31, 2007
Taiwan	March 31, 2008
Thailand	All Year Round
Vietnam	All Year Round

Please apply early. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

The selection process varies slightly from country to country, but usually consists of a combination of multiple 1-1 interviews, and a final round panel interview or assessment centre. 

Country	Numerical/Verbal Reasoning Test(s)	1-1 Interview(s)      (phone / in person)	Panel Interview(s)	Assessment Centre
China	Y	Y		Y
Hong Kong		Y	Y
India	Y	Y	Y
Indonesia		Y	Y
Korea		Y
Malaysia		Y	Y
Philippines		Y	Y
Singapore	Y	Y	Y	Y
Taiwan		Y	Y
Thailand	Y	Y	Y
Vietnam		Y

 

Our People

Rajyashree Banerji MBA Finance, Delhi University Management Associate

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

Be prepared to work hard. Hard work is enjoyable when the work is interesting and you enjoy the company of those you work with. Don't wait for responsibility or projects to be given to you but seek them and show initiative. Emphasize on learning and try and learn something from every experience.

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

Challenging, exciting, interesting: There is still a lot of learning and a lot of challenges to look forward to.

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

Everyone is extremely driven, intelligent and passionate about work. Everyone is very focused and goal-oriented; simultaneously, there is enough light-hearted joking and fun to make sure everyone has a good time.

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

Corporate bank, Commercial bank, Operations

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

My degrees in Economics and Business Administration have helped me tremendously, both being extremely relevant to my present job. They have helped me understand the macroeconomic perspectives, views and market movements, very important for my role, besides enhancing my understanding of business aspects.

How has Citi supported your career development?

The Bank makes a tremendous effort to find the best fit for you, both in terms of your skills and your interests. The Bank also provides you with adequate training facilities to enhance you learning, further facilitating your growth.

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

My summer project in FICC provided me with an insight and developed my interests in markets. My project was interesting, challenging and exciting which aroused my interests in this field and helped me to make a decision to pursue a career in Citi. As a part of Citi I would be able to work with some of the brightest professionals in the industry, in turn, enhancing my skills.

Kaustav Bhattacharjee PGDM, IIM, Ahmedabad Associate - Business Developer

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

Negotiating the inflexion on transitioning from school to workplace is a challenge indeed. The exhilaration of grabbing the best job on campus is but soon taken over by the frustration caused by inflated expectations. But whereas the lead-time to prove one’s worth as a student was only the time between two quizzes; in a job, to show results takes time. The whiz- kid on campus would burn the midnight oil to top every examination, but as an employee his/her performance is dependant on the dedication and commitment of his/her team. Pacifying this disconnect requires patience, conformity and motivation driven by the urge to learn than an urge to perform right away.

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

Every morning as I put on my tie, I speculate whether the CFO I’m meeting that day would prefer a red tie to a grey one. I conjecture whether in speaking to him I should use the local dialect or otherwise. Given this ambiguity and vagueness, to gain the confidence of the person I’m meeting just within thirty minutes of meeting him/ her, excites me. To learn about business as varied as a forging company to an e-greetings company enthuse me. To go to a meeting prepared to sell CMS, and having learnt more about the business, sell derivatives instead, motivates me. I love the dynamism, the uncertainty, and the challenge.

What do you consider Citi's competitive edge?

Citi is a one-stop shop for all the financial requirement of companies, big or small, anywhere across the globe. The biggest competitive edge of Citi is its potential to introduce meaningful financial inventions. Its innovativeness coupled with robust internal systems/ processes and strict compliance adherence makes it one of most nimble giants and a righteous market leader.

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

Negotiation skills and the power to reason have been critical to my position.

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

There exist over 200 commercial banks in India. In the years ahead, consolidation and convergence shall rule the banking landscape in India. Financial inclusion shall remain the underlying theme with micro financing gaining greater prominence. Product innovation and customized offerings shall cause banks to focus more on fee-based incomes. Technology shall remain a key driver in not only enhancing service levels, but in creating multiple channels of delivery, aiding penetration.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In 5 years, I visualize myself to evolve as a dependant, accountable and professionally responsible person. I should be viewed as someone who can easily garner the trust of people and live up to their expectations of me. I intend to acquire a more hands on knowledge of the financial markets, and amalgamate my theoretical knowledge with the practical exposure across various verticals. And, I intend to have traveled at least half of the world.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I hold a very catholic taste in music. From hard rock to the blues, I enjoy every genre of music depending on my present frame of mind. However, I do hold a biased predilection for Indian composers like Kishore Kumar and A.R Rehman. I am also trained in playing the Tabla and am presently endeavoring to play the harmonica. Besides, I enjoy traveling.

Ashish Dole M.M.S. Finance, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, University of Mumbai Assistant Manager

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

I would like to tell prospective candidates to walk in with an open mind because the “real world” is very different from the perceptions that students build up in a business school. Be ready to get your hands dirty as that is the best way to learn about the business and the organization.

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

The most important trait displayed by all my teammates is a very high level of motivation. My colleagues are extremely smart and fill the place with positive energy. They have a very good understanding of the business and do not hesitate to share their rich experiences with me.

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

I work in the Electronic Banking team on the Foreign Trade side. My role straddles the domains of technology and finance. Hence, the knowledge that I have gained during Computer Engineering as well as M.M.S. is put to good use. My engineering degree helps me easily understand the technology-related aspects of the job, whereas my degree in Finance enables me to not only comprehend but also enhance the product offerings of GTS.

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

The Indian business environment is highly regulated and this has constrained the growth of Citi in India. Going forward, in a more liberalized economy, I see Citi as one of the dominant players in the financial services industry. I expect Citi to grow through a mixture of organic and inorganic moves, and establish as strong a leadership position in India as it has globally.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Within 5 years, I hope to have worked in 3 departments of the bank. I am looking forward to working across verticals and geographies, which I believe will help me gain a deeper and a more thorough understanding of the various businesses. Eventually, I wish to head a profit centre and grow it successfully.

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

My summer internship at GTS was a very fast-paced and exciting time. It was my first exposure to life in a business organization, and I am glad that it was at Citi. The learning curve was very steep and that was the single-most important factor that tipped the balance in favor of Citi being a prospective employer. I liked the company of extremely smart and highly motivated colleagues, and aspired to be a part of the GTS team.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I am a huge computer gaming fan, and love to play games (all night, at times!) on my PS3. Swimming is another activity that helps me relax. I also like to read a lot, and do catch up on the latest bestsellers.