Karachi - In a move that reflects Citigroup’s growing focus on the Pakistani market, the bank has appointed Musharaf Hai as Country Business Manager for Citibank Pakistan, with responsibility for Citigroup’s consumer financial services businesses in the country.

Citibank has expanded steadily in Pakistan’s main cities during the last few years and witnessed significant investment and expansion in customer service and key distribution channels, including new branches and sales and services centers, and increasing the range of its personal banking offerings for customers.

Musharaf’s record as a business leader is outstanding. During her long career with Unilever Pakistan, Musharaf led the consumer packaged goods company to local success by building strong brands, developing talent and executing a robust growth plan that emphasized innovation, restructuring and acquisition. In the last five years, Musharaf served as Chairman and CEO of the company, overseeing its emergence as Pakistan’s foremost consumer brand provider.

‘I am delighted to work with a great team of Citibank professionals and to run a business that has been diligently built over the past 16 years and has exciting potential, ’ said Musharaf. ‘We will continue to provide the highest standards of banking service to customers, to grow our business through deeper consumer segmentation and expand our unique personal banking offer to fulfill growing consumer aspirations. The winning edge will be to deliver unmatched consumer value. Today in Pakistan, there is a “tipping point” in consumer financial services.’

‘Pakistan is a high potential growth market for Citibank with huge opportunities in all customer segments, especially in personal finance where we bring global, state-of-the-art expertise blended with a strong focus on customization and local knowledge,’ said Robert Law, Pakistan, Middle East and Africa Division Head for Citibank. ‘Musharaf’s expertise and profile fit Citibank’s drive to expand its footprint in the country’s main commercial centers and to groom a new generation of professionals with a focus on strong sales and customer service skills.’

Zubyr Soomro, Citigroup Country Officer and Division Head for Pakistan, said: ‘I am delighted to welcome her to the Citigroup family in Pakistan.’

Citibank N.A. Pakistan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Citigroup and has had a presence in Pakistan for the past 45 years. Keeping apace with the fast developing Pakistani market, the bank is currently a leading provider of credit cards as well as consumer credit services including personal, auto and home loans. The personal banking offer is backed by the sophisticated CitiPhone Banking service, a virtual branch meeting all banking needs over the telephone.