• by Tanya Gazdik , March 7, 2018

Citi Chief Brand Officer Dermot Boden has resigned from the company, according to a memo obtained by Marketing Daily. 

The memo was sent internally to employees from Ed Skyler, executive vice president of global public affairs, according to a source. It said Boden was leaving “to pursue interests outside of Citi.”

A Citi spokesperson confirmed the memo, but declines to comment beyond it. 

Boden will leave at the end of March and Mark Ingall, managing director, global marketing, will act as chief brand officer beginning in April. Citi will conduct an internal and external search for a permanent replacement, according to the memo. “At this moment, his plans are to take some time off with his family,” according to a source close to Boden.

After joining Citi in 2011, Boden managed the relaunch of the brand ahead of the "200 Years Citi" commemoration.

“He led the alignment of our company's identity under one name and visual representation and, even more challenging, established our mission of Enabling Progress as the unifying theme of our business activities,” Skyler wrote in the memo. “He helped bring this to life through a broad range of programs, including our Progress Makers campaign, sponsorships of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, and engagement efforts that made our brand tangible to our stakeholders and established consistency across our marketing efforts. This work helped to rebuild trust and revitalize the Citi brand, which has grown faster than any other financial services company since the crisis, according to external surveys.”

Boden was the steward of Citi's brand, leading brand strategy and ensuring that branding and marketing are effective and consistent across the range of Citi's businesses. He chaired Citi's Brand Council and oversaw the global branding and sponsorship groups. He reported to Skyler.

A 30-plus year marketing veteran, Boden joined Citi from LG Electronics, where he served as global CMO from 2007 to 2011. Previously, he held business and marketing positions at both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson in Europe, Asia and the United States.

"Citi is an iconic brand, with a tradition of innovation and an unparalleled global network, Boden said upon his hiring.