- WIB PH
Risk was the main order of business for Suni Harford last year. In her role directing sales, trading and origination for Citigroup's global securities and banking unit, she was charged with identifying franchise risk issues for each product line.
September 18
Suni Harford
Managing Director, Regional Head of Markets, North America, Citigroup
In her formative years, Suni Harford wanted to teach high school physics. She still occasionally mulls a second career in the classroom.
But if Harford hasn't set a timetable for her switch to teaching, it's because things are going so well at her current gig. North American markets, the unit Harford runs for Citigroup, increased revenues at a double-digit clip in 2013, powered by solid growth in its commodities and equity derivatives business lines. The strong performance of Harford's team helped its parent division, securities and banking, expand North American revenue by 40%, to $9 billion, according to Citi's 2013 annual report.
Cost-cutting initiatives helped the bottom line as well. Harford trimmed real estateexpenses; and her focus on promoting from within Citi resulted in a significant drop in hiring costs.
In May, Harford's undergraduate alma mater, Dennison University in Granville, Ohio she majored in math and physics honored her with its highest alumni award, the Alumni Citation. She also remains heavily invested in the industrywide Veterans on Wall Street initiative she helped found in 2010, as well as Citi's internal efforts to support veterans.