Citigroup said Tuesday it would align its U.S. consumer operations under four units, each led by an executive from the former Travelers Group.
Robert B. Willumstad will head consumer lending; Joseph J. Plumeri 2d will lead direct sales and retail distribution; Michael A. Carpenter will oversee the affluent market; and Jay S. Fishman will continue to head Travelers Property and Casualty Corp.
"We believe this team brings proven management skills to the task of accelerating the integration of our businesses and will help us achieve higher levels of execution," Robert Lipp, co-chief executive officer of global consumer operations, said in a statement.
The four executives will report to Mr. Lipp, formerly of Travelers, and his co-CEO, William I. Campbell of the former Citicorp.
Analysts said the selection hints at the culture of the new company, which was created Oct. 8 by the merger of Citicorp and Travelers.
"It reflects the more dominant role that the Travelers management team will have across the organization," said Bradley Ball, an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston. By organizing itself by business lines, Citigroup is following Travelers' tradition of making clear distinctions among product areas, he said.
"It means that Travelers is taking complete control of this company," said another analyst who asked not to be named.
John M. Morris, a spokesman for Citigroup, said, "We are not counting noses. We are all one company now."
Asset management is conspicuously absent from the new consumer organization. Analysts said Citigroup intends to blend asset management from Citi and Salomon Smith Barney into a separate group to be known as Citigroup Asset Management that will target the wealthy.
"They are taking better advantage of the affluent market," said Diane B. Glossman, an analyst at Lehman Brothers. By keeping asset management separate, Citigroup is hoping to create more opportunities to cross-sell investment and brokerage services to the affluent, she said.
The four executives have much experience cross-marketing Travelers' consumer products, particularly Mr. Willumstad and Mr. Plumeri. That activity is seen as vital to making the marriage with Citicorp a fruitful one.
Mr. Willumstad is credited with building Commercial Credit into a top- tier contender in consumer finance, particularly with the 1997 purchase of Security Pacific Financial Services from BankAmerica Corp.
Mr. Plumeri, a one-time Smith Barney president, is known for pulling Primerica Financial Services from a slump after the departure of the company's founder, A.J. Williams. He has also received high marks for cross-selling home equity and other consumer products to Primerica customers.
Those reporting to Mr. Willumstad include: Sami Siddiqui, U.S. bank cards; Carl E. Levinson, consumer assets; Marge Magner, Commercial Credit; Denis Calvert, merchant card services; and William Friesell, Diners Club charge cards.
Mr. Plumeri will continue to oversee Primerica. Reporting to him are Stephen J. Liguori, U.S retail banking; and Barbara H. Fraser, Citicorp Investment Services.
Reporting to Mr. Carpenter are Shaukat Aziz, Citi's private bank; and J. Eric Daniels, a former Citibanker becoming head of Travelers Life and Annuity.
Bob Khanna, a former planning officer for Citicorp, will report to Mr. Fishman as head of personal lines businesses. He succeeds Jon C. Madonna, who has left the new company.
Overseas, consumer banking continues to be run by three former Citibankers: Alvaro A.C. de Souza in Latin America, Dinny Devitre in Europe, and Simon Williams in Asia-Pacific.
