Awards for Excellence 2020
It isn’t easy being a very big bank with a very big presence in very big markets. Citi is a big financial institution present in virtually every large Asian economy. You don’t get to be this size and to last this long without an innate ability to react smartly and nimbly to systemic threats.
Under chief executive Peter Babej, Citi Asia Pacific was quick to react to the coronavirus crisis. In the pandemic’s early stages it saw echoes of the Sars outbreak in 2003. Within weeks, 75% of its workforce had transitioned to working from home and it disbursed special compensation awards to 25,000 staff.
When India went into lockdown, digital support staff worked overtime to ensure that corporate clients from Asia to the Americas were able to pay staff on time.
Zoom meetings became de rigeur; virtual events and resources were put in place to ensure employees and their families were cared for. Health and wellness experts were made available to anyone feeling stressed or depressed.