citi: Citi to sell SE Asian consumer banking business for $3.6 bn

US monetary large Citigroup stated Friday it is going to promote its shopper banking companies in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam for $3.6 billion, because it pushes forward with world streamlining plans. Singapore’s United Abroad Financial institution (UOB) will purchase the franchises, which embody Citi’s retail banking and bank card companies.

The entire value of the acquisition is Sg$4.9 billion ($3.6 billion).

As a part of the deal, round 5,000 Citi workers are anticipated to switch to UOB, the lenders stated.

The sale is a part of Citi’s plans to streamline its world operations and deal with institutional shoppers, slightly than shopper banking.

The financial institution beforehand introduced it was exiting shopper franchises in a number of markets throughout the Asia-Pacific and elsewhere.

Mark Mason, Citi’s chief monetary officer, stated that “the sale of those 4 shopper markets, together with our beforehand introduced transactions, show our sense of urgency to execute our strategic refresh”.

Wee Ee Cheong, UOB’s deputy chairman and chief govt officer, stated the financial institution “believes in Southeast Asia’s long-term potential and we’ve got been disciplined, selective and affected person in looking for the correct alternatives to develop”.

The transaction is predicted to be accomplished between mid-2022 and early 2024 relying on the progress of the regulatory approval course of, Citi stated.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are amongst Southeast Asia’s largest markets, with a mixed inhabitants of greater than 470 million individuals and residential to a quickly rising center class.