Citi thanks clients for another milestone year

MANILA, Philippines - Captains of industry, private sector leaders and key media personalities were recently treated to an intimate dinner affair by Citi. 

Held at Blackbird Restaurant in Makati City, the thanksgiving reception was the perfect occasion for the country’s largest foreign bank to celebrate the successes of its clients, and to renew its commitment to enabling their continued progress.

CEO Batara Sianturi welcomed guests on behalf of his management team and said the Nov. 26 affair was their attempt to stage a thanksgiving celebration this side of the Pacific.

Addressing the crowd, he said: “Thanks to your continued support, we at Citi have a lot to be thankful for. The year 2014 is marked by several milestones.  We started the year on a high note with our partnership with the Philippine government and President Benigno Aquino III for the Cashless Purchase Card program. We were also gratified to renew our mandate as sole dollar settlement bank for the banking industry. A few weeks back, we broke ground on a new office building at Fort Bonifacio. And these are just a few highlights.”

The six-course dinner began with favorite Blackbird starters like prawn scotch eggs with betel leaves and coconut chili sambal; but guests were soon surprised to discover that the rest of the dishes were off-menu creations, customized for the evening’s affair, including the grilled Wagyu striploin with cauliflower puree and grain mustard jus. Capping off dinner was the chocolate and burnt butter semifreddo with salted caramel popcorn — the semi-frozen dessert was pleasantly light, creamy and refreshing. It was a wonderful prelude for what else was in store.

The event later showcased a series of documentaries featuring clients from different parts of the world, handpicked and honored by Citi as today’s Progress Makers. Citi, in more than 160 markets and countries, has the unique privilege of working with clients who bring socioeconomic, scientific and cultural benefits to cities and communities, thus shaping and reshaping the future.

Hosted by Tessa Prieto-Valdes, the program featured a world-class and moving performance by the Loboc Children’s Choir. Founded in 1980 by a team of teachers led by its musical director, Alma Fernando Taldo, the choir not only brought music to the school and community events, but numerous awards as well. They have performed to warm audiences in Asia and Europe, and despite their success, still sings regularly for Sunday Mass in Loboc Parish. The program ended on a high note with well-loved renditions by the legendary Basil Valdez.

To close the evening, Sianturi led a toast, “While we look back at 2014 with gratitude for the successes and milestones accomplished, we, too, look ahead to the coming year, with much anticipation for new successes, new milestones and new progress makers in the distance. Here’s to the future, here’s to the new progress makers! Cheers!”

For more than 200 years, Citi has enabled progress for clients all over the world — and over the last 100 in the Philippines, it has taken an active role in nation-building.

As the largest foreign commercial bank in the country today, Citi attributes its ongoing leadership to the continuous and unwavering support of its clients.