A day in the life of a corporate banking associate at Citi
Jake McBurnie, Corporate Banking Associate at Citi Australia
Jake McBurnie is a Corporate Banking Associate at Citi Australia, based in Sydney. After interning at Citi while studying engineering and commerce at the University of New South Wales, he joined Citi full time in 2020. His team covers major Australian-headquartered corporate clients and acts as a bridge between these clients and the rest of the business. Here’s what his average working day looks like.
8.15am: After my morning exercise and train commute, I arrive at the office. As Citi is a global financial institution, there are a lot of emails that come in overnight, so I like to start my day by getting up-to-date and establishing my priority tasks.
I’m in the coverage team, which is the first point of contact for clients and critical to a seamless experience. Our job is to connect clients with the right people internally to ensure they get the right guidance and support in a timely matter. Setting myself up well in the mornings is important to ensure great client outcomes.
10.00am: I digest the overnight market news. My team focuses on lending and credit-risk management, so I need to be on top of news and anything else that might affect our clients and their credit. I also need to be aware of what’s happening in the world as clients might ask us for our opinions on macro trends. It can be challenging at times, but this role allows me to learn about many specific services and products to improve the client experience, which I really enjoy.
10.30am: I prioritise other tasks for the day and come up with a to-do list.
10.45am to 12pm: We have a few regular internal calls, usually with my immediate team or the wider Banking Capital Markets and Advisory (BCMA) team. We also do meetings with product, legal, and operations teams, either scheduled or off-the-cuff. Clients might also get in touch, and they will always take priority.
12pm: Lunch time! I might have lunch with people in my team or other teams, go for a run down by the harbour. It’s really nice working back in the office and enjoying the culture and connectivity of being at Citi.
1pm: This is usually when I tick off any small tasks. I might respond to emails or read through company results or investor presentations. This sets me up for the rest of the afternoon.
2.30pm: Emails have usually settled down, and I can focus on doing more time intensive tasks. Our local operations teams are still around, so it’s a good time to make some internal calls if there are any client issues that need resolving, for example opening or closing a bank account, issuing a new bank guarantee, or drawing down on a facility. It’s very rewarding when a client calls with a problem and you’re able to help them.
4.30pm: This time slot can vary a lot, depending on what we have on, but typically it’s a peak productivity time for me. Corporate lending is a key part of this job. If we’re refinancing a loan, issuing a new loan, or have a transaction going on, I could be reviewing loan documents, doing credit analysis or research, or forecasting for clients. Essentially what I’m doing is putting together a risk case for a potential loan and whether it makes sense for us. I could also be preparing internal notes based on client results or news.
Before I leave for the day, I ensure I have actioned all priority items on my to-do list, followed up with clients, and set myself up for success for the next day.
6pm: If it’s a Thursday or Friday night, I might have a drink at the pub with my co-workers. On other days, I’m commuting home and trying to wind down. On most nights I’ll just have a camomile tea, watch some Netflix, and relax.
