By Kathryn McKenna
Peter Holden, Global Head of Enterprise Services at Citi and recently appointed Site Lead of Citi Belfast, highlights the importance of growth and innovation at Citi, encouraging his Belfast cohort to ‘think locally, act globally.’
Leading Northern Ireland’s largest financial services employer, Peter is expanding Citi’s ethos of ‘live locally, work globally’, insisting the innovations conceived in Belfast can have a global impact. Citi’s employees reflect the remarkable range of cultures and perspectives of the bank’s clients from across nearly 160 countries and jurisdictions where Citi does business. This highlights a powerful advantage for Citi Belfast that combines global insights with deep local knowledge.
With an exemplary 26-year tenure with Citi, Australian native Peter brings a wealth of experience, expertise and passion for his new role having previously worked in New Zealand, Singapore, and London. Peter moved to Belfast in 2007 with his wife, a Northern Ireland native from Fermanagh whom he met in Sydney.
Within his functional role at Citi, Peter is responsible for enterprise services in the technology infrastructure group supporting and securing the technology estate that powers Citi’s applications across multiple global locations
Peter is a champion of diversity and inclusion at Citi, with his allyship stemming from personal experiences in the workplace and home-life. Peter has advocated for LGBTQ+ rights internally and externally across Northern Ireland and is a passionate supporter of the seven inclusion network chapters at Citi that include: Women, Multicultural, Salutes, Families Matter, Disability, Pride and Social Mobility. These chapters are all important aspects in helping support Citi’s brand, enhancing the culture and developing diversity across the business.
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The inclusion networks promote engagement amongst colleagues by creating an inclusive environment whilst giving back and supporting local communities though Citi partnerships. One example of this is the adoption of NOW Group’s JAM card initiative at Citi Belfast.. The JAM card is a helpful way for those with a hidden disability or communication barrier to tell others they are asking for ‘Just A Minute’ of time and patience in a private and easy way.
Training with NOW Group was made available to all Belfast colleagues, providing an overview of the JAM Card, and advice on how to identify and address barriers in the best way possible - promoting a diverse, accessible and inclusive workplace for all. NOW Group’s JAM Card can be used by anyone with a communication barrier, with many local businesses and health care trusts adopting the initiative.
Citi’s DisAbility Network worked with colleagues in the UK to drive wider awareness and UK engagement, andthe programme is now being rolled out across Citi’s European offices, further demonstrating the ethos of ‘thinking locally, acting globally.’ Peter comments: “My son has one of the JAM cards and it has been so useful for him – whether he is getting on a bus or he is trying to pay for something in a shop – it can have a positive impact in so many different ways. The JAM card is something which has proven to be extremely effective locally and can be implemented on a global scale and we are proud to be working with NOW Group to roll the initiative out across our Citi team.”
Citi has become a trailblazer for equality and inclusion within the workplace, spearheading numerous initiatives. In addition to competitive compensation and standard benefits such as healthcare, retirement and paid time off, Citi offers colleagues a wide range of support for their personal and professional health and development in and outside the workplace. Securing Citi’s position as one of the most supportive environments to work, Employees also benefit from a global minimum standard for paid maternity and parental leave; adoption, surrogacy and fertility assistance benefits; backup childcare and childcare service discounts; on-site health and medical centres; well-being-focused concierge services; and paid leave to pursue interests outside of work. This offering is driven by research clearly demonstrating companies that fully adopt DEI initiatives are more successful, and Citi is helping to set the benchmark.
Personal growth and the ability to forge a successful career within the organisation globally is extremely important to Peter, given that he himself began his career at Citi working on the help desk. Peter is passionate that every effort is made to empower employees with the necessary tools and support to innovate, learn new skills and grow. Alongside Peter there are two homegrown Managing Directors Lauren McCoy (General Counsel) and Carla McGlynn (Head of Markets Business Controls Technology / Tech Site Lead) who are prime examples of Managing Directors who have risen exponentially locally and are now on the global stage.
The opportunity to build a career at Citi is strengthened as technology and AI continue to develop at a rapid pace. Peter comments: “At all levels, people can show leadership and deliver innovative ideas. The opportunities to think locally and act globally are endless with the business we have, especially at the speed the business is changing: whether it be AI; regulation; cyber security; or moving to the Cloud. We live and breathe all of these things every day.”
Developing a pipeline of talent and future skills continues to be a major focus for the team at Citi and the company provides numerous pathways for individuals starting out on their career journey. In addition to hiring at graduate level, Peter and the Citi team are passionate about the range of apprenticeship programmes available for school leavers and early career starters interested in working toward qualifications whilst gaining valuable work experience. Peter himself graduated with a computer science degree while working full time throughout his studies and has firsthand experience of the benefits this approach allows.
Peter is full of praise for the structure and the engagement with the local universities in Northern Ireland and Citi’s first apprentice recently successfully obtained their degree. Furthermore, Peter is optimistic that staff retention of apprentices who have decided to build a career at Citi will be high due to the unique pathway they have taken.
Levelling up remains a core objective of Citi’s quest for continual improvement, personal development, and innovation, not only externally at graduate and apprenticeship level, but internally as well. Citi have set up their own Data Academy in London where employees can continue to upskill and gain qualifications whilst working in their day-to-day role.
“This is a pathway that can educate all disciplines within Citi to be made more aware of how we use exciting advancing technologies such as AI and how we interact with it in our roles moving forward,” Peter comments.
“If we think locally and act globally, that's going to increase the effectiveness of our people. It will increase their seniority internally which is going to be beneficial for those individuals. It's also going to be good for the city of Belfast and ties everything together.”
To find out more about open roles and learn more about Citi Belfast, visit: Sync NI - Company - Citi
Read Sync NI's free online Big Data Belfast autumn magazine here.
