Managing in Troubled Times Case Study

Case Title:

Chuck Prince's Biggest Challenge: Saving Citi's Reputation

Abstract:
Citigroup, formed in 1999 by a merger of Traveler's Group and Citicorp, is the largest financial services conglomerate in the world worth $100 billion in stock equity. Under the leadership of its erstwhile CEO, Sanford I Weill, Citi acquired a reputation for emphasising on the bottom-line and pursuing aggressive sales practices to that end. In the process Citi's reputation took a beating when a series of charges were filed against it accusing it of fraudulent practices. In 2003, Weill stepped down as the CEO, paving the way for Citi old-timer Charles Prince, who took upon himself the task of delivering profits and growth 'responsibly and honestly'. But two incidents in mid-2004 showed that the task was incomplete.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To examine the nature and causes of Citi's regulatory and reputation problems and the efforts made by Weill and Prince to ensure that Citi's size and diversity does not influence its business practices
• To discuss the dilemmas of businesses to delicately balance the ever-increasing expectations of Wall Street in terms of financial performance and ensuring high ethical standards
• To discuss how companies with diverse but related divisions can avoid conflicts of interest. The case also provides information to assess Prince's strategies to curb unacceptable business practices at Citi.

Keywords :  Citigroup; Traveller's Group; Sandy Weill; Sanford Weill; Chuck Prince; Citigroup's culture; Predatory lending; Associates first capital; Managing in Troubled Times Case Study; Eliot Spitzer; Commercial bribery; Citigroup's business practices initiatives; Corporate governance; Citi's London bond desk; Citi troubles in Japan