Citi Commercial Bank targets mid-sized corporates in Japan

This follows CCB’s expansion in France and Ireland in 2023.

Citi has launched its commercial bank business in Japan, targeting mid-sized corporations.

Citi Commercial Bank (CCB) in Japan will focus on supporting mid-sized corporations in the country, the global banking giant said in a press release.

Yutaka Naito will head CCB in Japan. Naito, who first joined Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions team in 2019, is tasked with driving the growth of the CCB business and its financial performance. 

Naito is also expected to forge new client relationships for Citi. He will work closely with Citi’s markets, services, and broader banking businesses to deliver Citi’s products and solutions to CCB clients in Japan.

The Japan debut follows CCB’s launch in France and Ireland in 2023, and in Germany, Switzerland, and Canada in 2022.

“Citi is dedicated to supporting mid-sized companies with their growth journey,” said Gunjan Kalra, head of Japan, Asia North & Australia, and Asia South for CCB, commenting on the launch. 

Kalra noted how Japan is home to many new and innovative companies, with global linkages and cross-border business needs. 

“Playing to our strengths through our global network, Citi is well positioned to support the business ambitions of these companies. Our expansion into Japan reaffirms our commitment to serving the Japanese market and its companies and underlines the importance of the market for our global commercial banking strategy,” Kalra said.

The move is the latest in Citi's constant business moves in Asia. More recently, the bank combined its Japan, North Asia, and Australia clusters and appointed Marc Luet as the head of the combined cluster.