John Burke is the Global Head of Business & Professional Services at Citi Commercial Bank, a role he has been in since October 2022.
In this role, John is responsible for setting the coverage team’s global strategy, driving quality client acquisition, deepening relationships, and connecting the bank to deliver all that Citi has to offer. John is based in New York and has 34 years of experience at Citi across a variety of roles.
Prior to his current role, he was the managing director and North America leader of the Commercial Bank’s mid-corporate diversified and financial services franchise – an industry focused coverage group which delivers the entire breadth of traditional corporate and investment banking solutions to its clients.
Before this, John started his career at European American Bank and held various management positions in both sales and credit since 2000.
John led Citi’s Long Island Middle Market Commercial Bank team from 2005 to 2015 when he further expanded his team’s coverage to include the Metro NY area, consisting of both NYC and Long Island marketplaces.
This was the largest of all Citi Commercial Bank businesses focused on Mid-Corporates, providing commercial banking solutions to these companies and their global subsidiaries.
John has built his reputation on the value he brings to his clients; through a strong commitment to relationship building and excellence in client delivery, insights, tailored solutions, and Citi’s network as a trusted thought partner to his clients in every stage of their lifecycle.
John is highly involved in various Citi initiatives, including analyst recruitment and diversity efforts. John acts as a valued mentor to junior support and serves as a co-sponsor of Citi’s Women in Commercial Banking program. He is also a board member of both the Long Island Association and American Heart Association.
John has an MBA degree in International Finance from Hofstra University and a BS degree in Economics from the College of Oneonta.
Additionally, John obtained a management certification from Columbia University and holds various FINRA licenses including Series 63, 79, and 24.
John is married with three children and lives in Commack, NY with his wife Denise. He enjoys playing golf, soccer, and softball.
What advice would you give other business owners?
“It is critical for leaders to focus on the value of relationships with clients, vendors, competitors, and employees. These are the stakeholders who make decisions which will impact your business day-in and day-out and the people who are behind them should be your closest confidants.
“Focusing on and developing these relationships will help you to build a circle of trusted advisors with whom you can consult as you face challenges together. Further, understanding who is on the other side of the table – what drives them, their aspirations, and their concerns – will allow for you to maximize outcomes for your business.
“I believe leaders should consider their banker as one of the most crucial stakeholders for their business. A banker can provide advice for your business based on its size and stage in life cycle – they see how others are reacting to the same market conditions and can help you think about how to respond to the stimulus.
“At Citi Commercial Bank, we have transformed our business model to align bankers by industry. By concentrating in specific sectors, our bankers are able to offer guidance and share best practices based on industry trends and recent developments to help you achieve your growth ambitions.”
