Times have been tough for Citi since Sibos last convened in Vienna in September 2008. The institution failed in its takeover bid for US regional bank Wachovia, accepted the most funds from the troubled asset relief programme Tarp and eventually had the US government take a 36% stake in its equity. But despite the tough times, the bank continues to soldier on with that seemingly endless American brand of optimism.
Few places is this optimism more evident than in Citi's global transaction services GTS business. While global GTS revenues fall 1% year-on-year to $4.86 billion in the first half, Francesco Vanni d'Archirafi, head of Citi GTS, is confident that the business is...