Loretta Ko Joins Citigroup as Head of Financial Institutions

Loretta Ko has rejoined Citigroup in Hong Kong as Head of Financial Institutions this month, the bank announced today.

Ko's career began at Citigroup in 1989, where she spent 15 years holding various Relationship Management roles.

Before moving to Citigroup again, Ko was Head of Financial Institutions at Banco Santander for almost four years.

Prior to that, she was Head of Broker Dealer Clients at Standard Chartered Bank and Head of Financial Institutions and Public Sector at ANZ.

Ko stays based in Hong Kong.

Per Citigroup's announcement, Valentin Garger and Joy Cheng say that the hiring should help the bank grow its market share in FIG transactions.

"Hong Kong financial institutions (group) is a significant and growing part of Corporate Banking in the country as well as a critical contributor to the broader Asia Pacific financial institutions franchise," the announcement states.

Garger serves as Regional Head Asia Pacific and is responsible for driving the bank's strategy, business performance capital management and credit strategy. He joined the firm in 2013.

Cheng is the Head of Hong Kong Corporate Banking at the company. She took on her role in August 2019.

Citigroup is aiming to have women account globally for at least 40 percent of their assistant vice president to managing director levels by the end of 2021. In Asia, that level currently sits at 39 percent, according to a spokesperson at Citigroup.

Citigroup promoted 14 women, or 31 percent out of a total 45 managing directors named in Asia at the end of 2019, up from eight women the previous year.