Another Nonbanker Joining Citicorp's Top Ranks

Citicorp is adding another nonbanker face to its top echelon. The New York banking company announced the addition Tuesday of Edward D. Horowitz, a high-ranking technology executive from Viacom Inc., to the team reporting directly to chairman John S. Reed.

Mr. Horowitz, 49, starts at Citicorp next Monday as executive vice president - advanced development. He will focus on the technological end of new-product and service developments.

He leaves behind a career in the cable television industry, including roles with both Viacom and Time Warner Inc.'s HBO unit dating back to 1974.

Mr. Horowitz's appointment comes two months after Mr. Reed announced the hiring of another key outsider, Mary Alice Taylor, from Federal Express Corp. as executive vice president of global operations. She officially joined the banking company Monday.

Both announcements underscored Citicorp's emphasis on technology in strengthening and expanding its global reach.

"Citicorp and the financial services industry face both an opportunity and a challenge in incorporating electronic interactive delivery into product lines and customer distribution systems," Mr. Reed said in a prepared statement.

He said Mr. Horowitz "brings us years of experience and demonstrated ability in applied technology."

Mr. Horowitz will work with Ms. Taylor to help achieve the corporate vision of a single global platform for all operations.

Citicorp is working to overcome a legacy of decentralization that caused many products and services to be developed independently by business units. For the drive toward coordination, Mr. Horowitz is to oversee technology advancements for all business units' products and services, while Ms. Taylor will oversee implementation.

"While the content is different - it's not moving images at the moment - the vision that John Reed has and the vision that I have are one and the same," said Mr. Horowitz.

He described his expertise as "harnessing technologies and making them user-friendly."

"As the banking industry continues to expand its delivery channels, there is an advantage in having someone from the technology industry," said James H. Weber, a banking analyst with A.G. Edwards.

After beginning his career with a small cable television operation, Mr. Horowitz joined Home Box Office in 1974 and held several senior management positions over 14-year period. He then joined Viacom, where he is a member of the executive committee and chairman and CEO of Viacom Interactive Media.

Mr. Horowitz earned a bachelor's degree in physics from City College of New York and an MBA from Columbia University.

He is also chairman of the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California and a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab.

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