Citi Appoints Kanika Thakur as Asia Pacific Trade Head

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Hong Kong – Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions has appointed Kanika Thakur as Asia Pacific Trade Head with immediate effect.

Based in Hong Kong, Kanika will be responsible for the continued growth of Citi’s Trade business, with a focus on delivering innovative trade financing solutions that offer working capital benefits to clients. She will also have oversight of the business’ digitisation priorities and progress.

Given the shifts in trade flows, reconfiguration of supply chains and advent of new technologies, Kanika will be deeply involved in working with clients to tailor solutions as their needs evolve in a new operating environment.

In her new role, Kanika reports to Rajesh Mehta, Head of Asia Pacific Treasury and Trade Solutions and Ebru Pakcan, Global Head of Trade. She succeeds Vishal Kapoor who was named Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions for Citi Hong Kong earlier this year.

Rajesh said, “Asia Pacific is a critical region for growth for Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions business. With her strong leadership skills, wealth of experience and in-depth understanding of both the business and how clients’ needs are evolving, I am confident that Kanika will take our Trade business in the region to the next level. In addition to maintaining our market leadership, she will also be responsible for charting the course of our future business model in a rapidly changing environment.”

A career Citibanker, Kanika joined Citi in 2001 as a Management Associate in India, and has since worked in Singapore and Hong Kong. She has held a number of different roles within Trade, including Sales and Structuring, Product Management, and Distribution.

Prior to her new role, Kanika was Asia Pacific Head of Trade Finance. As Trade Finance Head, she was instrumental in the launch of new sales finance capabilities, making Citi’s solution set for clients more comprehensive while further differentiating the bank’s unique capabilities to support clients as well as their suppliers.

Kanika holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Delhi and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Calcutta.

Citi’s Trade business in Asia leverages its expertise in structured trade solutions to capture client flows and market share. In 2019, the business generated high single-digit growth. The business has also seen an uptick in activity in 2020, as clients are more acutely aware of the need to manage working capital during this time.

Kanika Thakur, Asia Pacific Trade Head, Citi

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