James Morris, Head of UK Citi Commercial Bank.
The Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK was delighted to welcome Citi Commercial Bank as a Patron this year. Citi provides global banking solutions tailored to companies seeking rapid growth and international expansion. With its vast global network, comprehensive solutions, and industry expertise, Citi supports businesses across diverse industries and at most stages of growth. We interviewed James Morris, Head of UK Citi Commercial Bank, to learn more about Citi’s operations in the UK and their experience as a Patron of the Chamber.
Could you provide a brief overview of Citi and its presence in the UK market?
Companies these days are either born global or are going global at record speed. Macro factors are constantly reshaping the market and business environment, and clients now expect their banks to offer them a seamless service that emphasises connectivity, efficiency, speed and ease of use. Citi is uniquely positioned for companies that are looking to go global and navigate the complexities of today’s world. Through our vast global network and our on-the-ground expertise, Citi can connect the dots, anticipate change and empathise with the needs of our clients in ways that other banks simply cannot. Our global network has nearly $5 trillion of financial flows each day across borders, currencies and asset classes; the bank has more than 19,000 institutional clients, including 85% of Fortune 500 companies and we serve our clients in more than 180 countries worldwide.
The UK is critical to Citi’s global network and operations; in the UK provide global financial services across all of our products – Markets, Banking, Services and Wealth – to clients based in the UK but also those looking to enter the market. Citi’s presence in the UK is sizable and is again crucial to Citi’s overall operations as we employ around 14,000 people across the UK, with around 10,000 in London, over 4,000 in Belfast, and hundreds more in Edinburgh.
As for Citi’s Commercial Bank in the UK, we provide global banking solutions to mid-sized companies in the UK that are looking to grow rapidly and expand internationally and non-UK companies that are looking to come into this promising, burgeoning market.
As a new Patron of the Chamber, what benefits do you hope to gain from our collaboration?
We’re very much looking forward to working with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK and furthering the existing deep ties between the UK and Spain as European economic powers and key markets in the region.” Both the UK and Spain are hubs for innovation in Western Europe with many digital and technology companies founded in both markets, as well as consistent trade taking place across industries.
By being a Patron of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK, we hope we’re able to enrich the existing activity across mid-sized corporates in both countries and empower, through a simplified and efficient banking experience, Spanish companies that are seeking to do business in the UK.
What key values define Citi, and how are these values integrated into your daily operations and customer interactions?
Citi’s mission is to serve as a trusted banking partner to our clients by responsibly providing financial services that enable growth and economic progress. We have set expectations for how we must act to bring our mission to life. These expectations are at the heart of our Leadership Principles – we take ownership, we deliver with pride, and we succeed together.
Taking Ownership, Delivering with Pride and Succeeding together are our values and each and every business activity or client interaction is defined by these values. Whether that’s in relation to safeguarding assets, lending money, making payments or accessing the capital markets on behalf of our clients – every action we take as a bank, we strive to embody these values and embrace the opportunities that come to us and our clients.
What opportunities and challenges has the banking industry encountered in the British market, and how have these impacted Citi’s operations?
London is, and will continue to be, a financial services powerhouse – it is a gateway to the world and a key player on the global stage. The UK remains one of the largest economies globally – ranking sixth in terms of GDP – and yet it is the third largest country in terms of total equity capital raised on its markets, so far, in 2024 according to the London Stock Exchange Group. The UK’s deep markets and global connectivity sets it apart and companies are able to access pockets of investment, funding and liquidity that are perhaps shallower than other markets in this part of the world. The strong rule of law and the large pool of talent in the UK also makes it a very attractive market to expand into in terms of presence and operations. It’s important gateway status also feeds into it being a good market to start with in Europe to test the viability of a product or service.
With every market there are opportunities and there are challenges – the goal in the UK is to ensure the market remains globally competitive and that it continues to attract and retain and enhance or augment the flow of capital and business activity. As with other markets worldwide, growth slowed in 2024, given the macro-economic backdrop, however, this is increasingly more positive for 2025 and we’re cautiously optimistic about the outlook for business, trade and deal activity for the medium term as economic indicators begin to improve. We find that both domestic and international clients value political stability, which we now have post the UK General Election. The political stability fosters greater planning ability and should allow for additional investment into long-term opportunities and projects.
How does Citi differentiate itself from competitors in the UK banking sector, and what specific strategies do you employ to enhance your market position?
As a leading global bank, we continue to play an important role for clients amidst unprecedented global challenges. Our global network and mindset uniquely position us to help clients, customers and communities around the world. With a physical presence in over 90 markets, no other bank has the vantage point we do or the ability to connect dots in the same way. Our fundamental globality is a unique strength in the UK. The UK is a springboard for us to utilise our global network, insights and capabilities to drive opportunities for clients.
What is Citi’s vision for the future, and what specific strategies or actions are you implementing to achieve it?
Our vision is for Citi to be the preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in our home market of the United States. We are achieving this through a clear strategy and structure that align with:
- Being truly global – leveraging the insights and local knowledge to benefit our clients everywhere they are and everywhere they want to be.
- Simplification and a digital approach – we know that our clients, no matter who they are – a mid-sized corporate, a large corporate, a wealth client – operate in a digital world, so do we, and it is important that our business model is streamlined and that we evolve with the trends that shape how people want to bank: simply and efficiently.
- Increasing connectivity – our five core businesses – Banking, Wealth, Markets, US Personal Banking and Services – are working more closely than ever to deliver the full range of our expertise and services to our clients and customers.
- Emphasising and investing in our people – Citi is filled with talented individuals bringing their diverse experiences and perspectives to work. Together, we are building a high-performing culture that’s passionate about our clients’ success.
For Citi’s Commercial Bank, our vision is to simplify global banking for mid-sized corporates and connect those clients to the same products and solutions that a large corporate would expect of a bank like Citi, while also doing this across our entire global network. We want to support mid-sized corporates, in the UK and globally, with improving their finances – their trade and working capital, capital or fund raising, maximizing returns on the cash and investments, innovating to solve for their financing needs to support their growth. By doing so we support this client segment with achieving efficiencies, resilience in their treasury or financial operations and processes.
