PRESS RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL 10 JANUARY 2013, 5.00PM
NUS Business School and Citi launch joint undergraduate course
in transaction banking
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Tie-up aims to meet demand for graduates in transaction banking
Taught by both NUS Business School faculty and Citi bankers
10 January 2013, Singapore – To cater to the increasing industry demand for transaction
bankers, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School and Citi Singapore
have jointly launched a transaction banking course for undergraduates, marking the first time
Citi has joined forces with an academic institution to offer such a course.
The 13-week course starts on 14 January 2013 and will be taught by faculty members of
NUS Business School and bankers from Citi Transaction Services (CTS). They will train the
School’s undergraduates on the concepts of transaction banking, including product
capabilities and services, and help participants understand issues from various perspectives
such as those of a transaction banker, corporate treasurer and chief financial officer.
Students will be able to apply their acquired knowledge in a course practicum that exposes
them to transaction banking issues and cases.
With the need for corporations and institutions to move cash and securities across the global
financial system in a safe and efficient manner every day, transaction banking services are
at the core of most financial institutions. This sector of the banking industry has been gaining
traction for major banks in recent years because of its ability to deliver efficient use of
capital, resulting in consistent and reliable revenue streams for their shareholders.
“We are honoured to be Citi Singapore's partner of choice. CTS is an industry leader and the
collaboration will give our students invaluable perspectives in transaction banking. On behalf
of our students, we thank Citi Singapore and CTS for their devotion to developing the next
generation,” said Professor Bernard Yeung, Dean and Stephen Riady Distinguished
Professor of NUS Business School.
Professor Yeung added: “As a leading business school in Asia, we work with industry
leaders to cultivate innovative thinking, and impart cutting-edge skills and practical
knowledge to our next generation. The joint course showcases our efforts to offer a deeply
analytical and relevant curriculum, which we, at NUS Business School, continually seek to
update for the fast-changing global economy.”
CTS offers integrated cash management, trade, as well as securities and fund services to
multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organisations around the
world. In the Asia Pacific region, the CTS team provides on-the-ground relationships in 18
markets and end-to-end transaction banking capabilities.
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Mr Michael Zink, Citi's Head of Asean and Country Officer for Singapore said, “As the largest
banking employer in Singapore with close to 10,000 employees across the country, we
believe we have a role to play in developing the next generation of the banking workforce
locally to ensure that Singapore continues to have a supply of highly-skilled talent to
enhance its position as a global financial centre.”
He added: “Partnering NUS Business School was not a difficult decision. The institution has
consistently been positioned highly in international rankings and attracts high-calibre
students from diverse backgrounds. For instance in 2012, the Financial Times ranked the
NUS MBA 23rd in the world for the second year running. Students who successfully enrol in
the course will get the best of both worlds as the course is structured to offer a good balance
between academic rigour and practical application.”
Mr Melvyn Low, Managing Director, Country Head for Citi Transaction Services Singapore
said, “Transaction services have gained strategic importance for banks in recent years as
more and more corporates are implementing transaction banking solutions to manage their
cash positions across multiple jurisdictions and for moving money efficiently across borders.
This, in turn, has increased demand for talent in transaction services, where we see a clear
shortage.”
He continued: “At present, no local university is offering transaction banking courses to
undergraduates. The partnership with NUS Business School aims to bridge this gap to meet
the increasing demand in the market for such talent.”
The joint course will be a permanent feature in NUS Business School’s undergraduate
programme and will be open to students who have successfully completed the Corporate
Finance module. It will admit up to 50 of the school’s undergraduates this year. The students
will be graded at the end of the course.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Christopher CHONG
Manager, Corporate Communications
NUS Business School
National University of Singapore
DID: (65) 66011206
Email: christopherchong@nus.edu.sg
TAN Lay Fang
Vice President
Corporate Affairs
Citi Singapore
DID: (65) 66575760
Email: lay.fang.tan@citi.com
About National University of Singapore (NUS)
A leading global university centred in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is
Singapore’s flagship university which offers a global approach to education and research,
with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise.
NUS has 16 faculties and schools across three campuses. Its transformative education
includes a broad-based curriculum underscored by multi-disciplinary courses and crossfaculty enrichment. Over 37,000 students from 100 countries enrich the community with their
diverse social and cultural perspectives.
NUS has three Research Centres of Excellence (RCE) and 23 university-level research
institutes and centres. It is also a partner in Singapore’s 5th RCE. NUS shares a close
affiliation with 16 national-level research institutes and centres. Research activities are
strategic and robust, and NUS is well-known for its research strengths in engineering, life
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sciences and biomedicine, social sciences and natural sciences. It also strives to create a
supportive and innovative environment to promote creative enterprise within its community.
For more information, please visit www.nus.edu.sg.
About NUS Business School
National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School is known for providing
management thought leadership from an Asian perspective, enabling its students and
corporate partners to leverage global knowledge and Asian insights.
The school has consistently received top rankings in the Asia-Pacific region by independent
publications and agencies, such as The Financial Times, Economist Intelligence Unit, and
QS Top MBA, in recognition of the quality of its programmes, faculty research and
graduates. In the Financial Times Global Rankings, the NUS MBA is ranked 23rd in 2012,
while the UCLA – NUS Executive MBA and Asia-Pacific Executive MBA are ranked 5th and
26th respectively in 2012.
In the biannual 2011 Forbes rankings for two-year MBA programmes, NUS Business School
was ranked the top school in Singapore and Asia, and fourth among business schools
outside the United States - the first time a Singapore business school has made the list. The
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked the school first in Asia and 8th in the world for
accounting and finance.
The school is accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), and is a
member of the GMAC Council, Executive MBA Council, Partnership in Management (PIM)
and CEMS (Community of European Management Schools) – endorsements and affiliation
with organisations of high repute in the education circle that the school has met the highest
standards for business education.
For more information, please visit bschool.nus.edu.sg.
About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does
business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers,
corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and
services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking,
securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube:
www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://new.citi.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi |
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi
About Citi Transaction Services
Citi Transaction Services, a division of Citi’s Institutional Clients Group, offers integrated
cash management, trade, and securities and fund services to multinational corporations,
financial institutions and public sector organizations around the world. With a network that
spans more than 95 countries, Citi’s Transaction Services supports over 65,000 clients. As
of the third quarter of 2012, it held on average $415 billion in liability balances and over
$12.8 trillion in assets under custody.
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