Citi has reported strong financial performance in the Japan, Asia North, and Australia region, with its market’s revenue reaching US$2.5 billion by the end of 2024. This figure represents a 7% year-on-year increase, reflecting robust activity across its trading and equities divisions amid heightened market volatility.
In alignment with this growth trajectory, Citi has announced several key appointments across its equities and research divisions, aiming to bolster leadership and enhance execution capabilities in the region.
Christian Ford has been appointed as Director of High-Touch Executions for Equities. With over two decades of experience in sales trading, Ford brings deep industry expertise to the role. He was most recently Managing Director and Head of Sales Trading at Jefferies Australia, where he played a pivotal role in driving client engagement and trade execution. His appointment underscores Citi’s commitment to providing high-quality, client-centric trading services in increasingly complex market conditions.
Joining him in the equities execution space, Andrew Bruce has been named Head of Low-Touch Execution. Bruce arrives from JP Morgan, where he served as executive director in the global equities division since 2018, working initially in Hong Kong before relocating to Sydney. His broad exposure to electronic and algorithmic trading strategies is expected to reinforce Citi’s low-touch execution capabilities, aligning with the firm’s digital trading initiatives and demand for scalable trading solutions.
Nicolas Lebon’s appointment as Director of the Corporate Solutions Group is another significant move. Lebon transitions from Crédit Agricole, where he accumulated more than ten years of experience, most recently as Director of Global Markets Sales. His expertise in structured solutions and corporate client engagement will be instrumental in expanding Citi’s market solutions offerings to corporate clients across the region.
Meanwhile, Dan Smith has been promoted to Head of Prime Finance for Australia within the equities division. Smith has been with Citi since 2016, serving as director of prime service sales. His elevation reflects both his extensive knowledge of the prime brokerage landscape and his contributions to building strong client relationships over the years. In his new capacity, he will lead efforts to deepen Citi’s prime finance offering, particularly as client demand for integrated financing and trading services continues to rise.
Commenting on these strategic leadership changes, Christina Chang, Citi’s Head of Markets for Australia and New Zealand, stated, “These appointments follow a record April result for our markets business, driven by volatile market conditions. We are confident that our strengthened leadership team will continue to deliver strong performance and support client needs in a rapidly evolving environment.”
The research division has also seen a change in leadership with the appointment of Paul Buys as Head of Research for the region, succeeding Paul McTaggart. Buys brings more than 25 years of experience to the role, having previously served as Head of Research at Canaccord Genuity and as Deputy Head of APAC Securities Research at Credit Suisse. His broad research background and deep sector expertise are expected to reinforce Citi’s analytical offerings and support institutional clients navigating complex global markets.
These appointments come at a time when Citi is focused on enhancing its strategic positioning across Asia-Pacific through a combination of experienced leadership, innovative execution strategies, and client-centric growth initiatives. As the bank continues to expand its footprint in key regional markets, these leadership enhancements are set to drive operational excellence and reinforce Citi’s reputation as a leading player in the institutional trading space.
