Citi announced the launch of the Citi Salutes India Chapter, the 18th in the global Citi Salutes network and the first such network outside of the US and the UK. The Citi Salutes network seeks to create career opportunities for Armed Forces Veterans who have voluntarily retired from service and are seeking a transition into the corporate sector.
The launch of the India chapter was presided over by Rear Admiral Sundeep K. Verma, Naosena Medal, and Major General Ajay Singh Chauhan Shaurya Chakra, Sena Medal (Retd), Ashu Khullar, Citi India CEO and India and Indian Subcontinent & Banking Head, and Aditya Mittal Head-HR, Indian Subcontinent, and India Chief HR Officer.
Over the last few years, the HR and talent acquisition teams have made concerted efforts towards increasing the representation of veterans at Citi India, offering them a range of careers that go beyond conventional roles in operations and administration. In 2022, Citi and the Indian Naval Placement Agency (INPA) signed an MoU to explore opportunities for the recruitment of naval ex-servicemen at CSIPL. As on date, Citi has over 60 Armed Forces Veterans across its India employee base.
Veterans’ inclusion is an integral part of Citi’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) mandate. Apart from the Citi Salutes India Network, Citi India has dedicated networks focused on ensuring inclusion and equity for women, as well as other underrepresented groups, like LGBTQIA+, and Persons with Disability.
In a joint statement released to commemorate the launch of the India Citi Salutes Network, the Co-Leads of Citi’s Diversity Inclusion Network Steering Committee Edward Skyler, who is also Global Head of Enterprise Services and Public Affairs at Citi, and Michael Steinbach, who is Global Head of GCB Fraud Prevention, said: “With the launch of this new chapter, we are not only growing our Salutes membership worldwide, but also creating opportunities for robust engagement with our Veteran colleagues in India. It will provide valuable support for the retention and long-term growth of Armed Forces Veterans in the country.”
Commenting on the occasion, Ashu Khullar said: “We truly value the skills and expertise that Armed Forces Veterans can contribute when they take on a corporate role. These skills have been garnered and honed during their stints with the Indian Armed Forces, which is an institution widely respected for its unwavering commitment to excellence. We will do everything necessary to ensure that more of them are able to join our ranks in the coming years.”