10 Things You Didn’t Know About Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat

Michael Corbat, the Chief Executive Officer of Citigroup, is a very talented banker and leader for the company, but there is so much more to him than what you see when he’s engaged in banking operations. If you really want to know more about this individual, read about 10 things below that set him apart, both in the business world and beyond.

1. He stays the course

A lot of people in this particular field have a tendency to move around a lot, working first for one corporation and then for another. That hasn’t been the case with him. In fact, he doesn’t even have a tendency to move around from one department to another frequently. He’s been in his current position as CEO since 2012.

2. He’s intelligent

You probably already guessed that anybody that holds a position like this has to have intelligence that is at least slightly above average. However, is might be just a little bit better than most people that could hold a similar position. He graduated from Harvard with a B.A. in Economics, graduating near the top of his class. It seems as though he was a leader in college and has continued to be a leader in his professional life.

3. He used to play football

When he was at Harvard, he played defensive guard for the college’s football team. While Harvard isn’t necessarily known for having one of the best football teams in existence, he was a standout player, and it earned him several accolades.

4. He has a habit of standing out from the crowd

While he was in college, not only was he a standout student, but he made the College Football All American team in 1982. This is something that no player from Harvard had managed to do since 1975. After he graduated from college, he continued to stand out from the crowd in all the best possible ways. This is something that he has definitely made a way of life.

5. He’s always been connected to Citigroup

Most people have to work their way up through the ranks and he has definitely done that. The difference is, he’s worked his way up through the ranks working for the same company since he graduated from college. He’s always been connected to Citigroup in one way or another. If he wasn’t working for the parent company, he was working for one of their subsidiaries. He started out working for Solomon Brothers straight out of college, a group that is owned by Citi. From there, he simply moved up through the company and today, he leads it.

6. He does business on a global scale

People at Citigroup were so impressed with his performance that they allowed him to take over a division known for working on troubled assets. This sent him to places like the Middle East, Africa and Europe as he worked to smooth things over whenever there was a problem. He has a knack for finding the best solutions to unique problems so Citigroup decided to put him in a position where they could use that to their advantage.

7. He’s dedicated

During the 2008 financial crisis, many large companies, including Citigroup, found themselves facing possible ruin. As a direct result, most people that were in leadership positions in these companies made the decision to leave. Corbat, on the other hand, was determined to stay and see things through. This speaks volumes about his character and dedication, both to the company and to his work in the industry.

8. He gets involved

He believes in leaving the world a better place and as such, he’s involved in several Boards of Directors and Trustees. You might think it all pertains to the business world. Much of it does, but he also works with some organizations that are dedicated to large-scale sporting events.

9. He leads an active lifestyle

He always has been an athlete at heart, even today. At 58 years old, he still actively participates in skiing and golf as frequently as possible. Whenever he gets away from the office, he can almost always be found participating in some type of physical activity.

10. He loves the outdoors

When he’s not skiing or playing golf, you might find him fly fishing. He has a passion for it and he spends as much time as he can participating. While he thoroughly enjoys the activity in and of itself, he enjoys simply being out in nature just as much.