Sanford I. Weill continued his overhaul of Citigroup Inc.'s technology management group Wednesday by announcing the creation of a new post, head of global operations and technology, and filling it with an executive from the former Travelers Group.
Robert Druskin, who has been chief administrative officer of Citigroup's corporate and investment bank, will add to his responsibilities by assuming the new post. He will report to Robert Lipp, another Travelers veteran and chairman and chief executive officer of Citigroup's global consumer group.
The move eliminates, at least for now, the position of chief information officer, a job that had been held for the past year by Thomas Trainer, who left to pursue other opportunities.
The shuffle is one of several that Mr. Weill has made in Citigroup's technology team since he became the company's sole chairman and chief executive officer in April.
His first move was to form the Internet operating group, a high-level committee charged with spreading responsibility for Internet activities more evenly throughout the company's business units. The group freed Internet development from the confines of e-Citi, a high-tech development group that was the brainchild of John Reed, Mr. Weill's co-CEO until April.
Mr. Weill made Deryck Maughan, formerly the head of Travelers' Salomon Inc. unit, the Internet group's chairman as well as e-Citi's chairman and chief executive officer. Edward Horowitz, an executive vice president and head of e-Citi, left the company this month.
In May Mr. Weill announced the creation of two units, e-consumer and e-business, to complement e-Citi in incubating Internet ideas. Robert Willumstad, head of global consumer lending, was appointed to lead e-consumer, which oversees Citigroup's Internet activities on the consumer banking side. Mr. Willumstad also reports to Mr. Lipp.
Jorge Bermudez, executive vice president and head of global cash management and trade services, was asked to head e-Business to direct Internet initiatives on the corporate banking side. Mr. Bermudez reports to Victor Menezes, chairman and chief executive of Citibank and co-head of Citi's investment banking unit.
Mr. Druskin is to work with Mr. Lipp to oversee Citi's data centers and the development of operating systems and technology. Last month Mr. Lipp joined the board of directors and the office of the chairman. He also added cross-selling and operating systems and technology oversight to his responsibilities.
Management of Citi's Internet strategy will continue to lie mostly with Mr. Maughan and his Internet operating and e-Citi groups, though the various technology groups will work together, Citigroup said.
With his promotion, Mr. Druskin also joins Citigroup's management committee. In addition to his technology role, he will oversee purchasing, shared services, and real estate. Mr. Druskin was traveling to London on Wednesday and was unavailable to comment.
"We spend billions each year on technology, and we are committed to investing whatever it takes to keep our company positioned as a leader," Mr. Weill said in a statement. "Having worked together for years, I know Bob has the talent and knowledge to drive this strategic investment in technology."
Mr. Trainer joined Citigroup in April 1999 from Eli Lilly & Co., an Indianapolis pharmaceutical company, where he was chief information officer. At Citigroup, he initially reported to Mary Alice Taylor, head of global operations and technology, who left the company in August 1999.
Mr. Druskin joined Smith Barney in 1991 as senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer. He remained in that capacity until April 1996, adding the title of vice chairman in 1993.
From April 1996 to August 1997 he was head of the asset management and futures divisions. He then returned to the post of chief administrative officer to direct the merger of Smith Barney with Salomon Brothers. In 1998 he became chief administrative officer and head of operations and technology for the global corporate and investment bank.
Frank Bisignano is assuming Mr. Druskin's post as chief administrative officer of the corporate and investment bank. Mr. Bisignano is to report to Michael Carpenter, chief executive officer of Salomon Smith Barney and Citibank's global relationship bank, and join the corporate and investment bank's operating committee.
Mr. Bisignano is currently the head of global operations and information technology for the corporate and investment bank. He joined Smith Barney in 1994. Before that he was an executive vice president at First Fidelity, where he was the chief consumer lending officer. And before First Fidelity he was a senior vice president at Shearson Lehman Brothers.
