The Citi Institute Podcast

About The Citi Institute Podcast

Explore the forces shaping global markets, digital innovation, and economic progress.

Publisher

Citi

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Mar 2025

Latest episode

7 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 7 Jul 2026

   AI at the Inflection Point: From Productivity Tool to Business Transformation

   In this episode of The Citi Institute Podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Ranjeet Kapur, Global Head of Fintech at Citi Commercial Bank and James Simcox, Group Chief Product Officer at Equals. They explore how artificial intelligence has moved from experimental back-office tool to a core driver of business model change in Fintech and corporate banking, focusing on payments, fraud prevention, customer experience, and emerging Agentic AI. Ranjeet Kapur comments that AI and machine learning have existed for decades, but recent advances in hardware and processing power have unlocked their ability to deliver value at scale. James Simcox explains how AI has rapidly shifted from small-scale experiments to pervasive deployment across Equals, with AI now writing around 86% of the firm’s code, up from 5–10% a year earlier, and transforming functions such as reconciliation, finance, fraud detection, and customer service. Together, they examine the rise of Agentic AI and discuss why a strategic approach to AI investment is becoming increasingly important. Link to Citi Institute - https://www.citigroup.com/global/insights/citi-institute Citigroup, Citi, and Equals are not affiliated and are independent of each other. Equals maintains a client relationship with Citi Commercial Bank. The speakers' views are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.

2. 18 May 2026

   The Mortgage Lock-In Puzzle: Can We Unfreeze the Housing Market?

   In this episode of the Citi Institute Podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Paul Goody, Head of Balance Sheet Strategy and In-Business Risk, Treasury, Citi and Karen Dynan, Professor of the Practice of Economics at Harvard University. They explore how the “mortgage lock‑in” effect—where homeowners with low fixed‑rate mortgages are financially disincentivized to move when market rates are much higher—has become a widespread drag on U.S. household mobility, housing affordability, and economic opportunity. Paul explains how rising rates have left banks holding large portfolios of low‑coupon mortgages while many borrowers feel “golden handcuffs,” unable to relocate for family, job, or schooling reasons without sharply higher payments. Karen highlights how constrained geographic mobility can limit access to better jobs and schools, while reduced turnover contributes to thinner housing markets, sharp post‑pandemic price increases, and worsening affordability that particularly harms younger and less affluent would‑be first‑time buyers. Both speakers stress the need to design any new mortgage products, so they are fair, transparent, and genuinely beneficial to households, drawing lessons from “affordable” mortgage innovations before the financial crisis that ultimately produced poor outcomes for many borrowers. Link to the Citi GPS report Moving America - https://on.citi/GPS_Moving_America_pdf Link to Citi Institute - https://www.citigroup.com/global/insights/citi-institute

3. 13 Apr 2026

   The Reconstruction of Ukraine: How will Ukraine's strength power a bright future?

   In this episode of Citi Institute podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Alexander McWhorter, Citi Country Officer and Banking Head for Ukraine and Lenna Koszarny, Founding Partner and CEO of Horizon Capital. They explore Ukraine’s remarkable economic resilience during the war, with many companies rebounding to pre-war revenue levels and others continuing to expand. Alexander McWhorter highlights the strength of Ukraine’s economy, with GDP surpassing pre-war levels despite the ongoing conflict. Lenna Koszarny outlines the scale of investment needed for reconstruction, emphasizing the significant opportunity for both private and public capital to support Ukraine’s recovery and long-term growth. Together, they examine the opportunities ahead and the potential for sustained growth despite continued challenges. Citigroup ("Citi") and Horizon Capital are not affiliated and not independent of each other. Horizon Capital maintains a client relationship with Citi through Citi Investment Banking. The speaker's views of their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Expressions of opinion are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.

4. 3 Mar 2026

   Where the Value Moves: How Do You Win When Software Is No Longer the Moat?

   In this episode of Citi Institute podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Tony Kim, Global Technology Team Head, BlackRock and Alex Watkins, Global Head of Technology Capital Markets, Investment Banking, Citi. Together, they explore how AI and the ‘Intelligence Revolution’ are the single biggest drivers of growth, and how the shift in value is moving from the top layer of software and labor services to the underlying computing infrastructure and AI models. Tony Kim discusses breakthrough novelty and original invention as capabilities AI currently struggles to replicate. Alex Watkins emphasizes that in certain areas of tech, being the lowest cost marginal producer will be key to winning, not just innovation and market position. Together, they reflect on exciting opportunities and potential breakthroughs in space, quantum computing, and agentification. Citigroup (“Citi”) and BlackRock are not affiliated and are independent of each other. BlackRock maintains a client relationship with Citi through Citi Investment Banking. The speakers’ views are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.

5. 21 Jan 2026

   The Innovation Puzzle: Historical Context and the Capital Shaping Tomorrow's Disruptors

   Host Alex Miller interviews Arvind Purushotham and Professor Carl-Benedikt Frey, who examine AI's impact and the necessity of human creativity in driving societal and economic progress through innovation.

6. 16 Dec 2025

   Evolution of AI at Google & Citi

   Host Alex Miller interviews Google DeepMind's Logan Kilpatrick and Citi's Shobhit Varshney about the evolution of AI, enterprise strategies for leveraging AI progress, and the crucial role of safeguards.

7. 18 Nov 2025

   The AI Revolution – Unlock Your Potential | Citi Institute Podcast

   Host Alex Miller interviews Dr. Prag Sharma and Helen Krause about the accelerating trends of Generative AI and Agentic AI and how they impact financial markets, investment implementation, and decision-making.

8. 4 Nov 2025

   Hybrid Warfare, AI, and Leadership in an Age of Disruption

   Host Alex Miller interviews Charles Armitage and General Sir Adrian Bradshaw about the evolving global security landscape, highlighting hybrid warfare, AI, and the necessity of adaptive defense strategies in an age of disruption.

9. 21 Oct 2025

   The Future of Money | Citi Institute Podcast

   Host Ronit Ghose interviews Citi's Ryan Rugg and Payoneer's Derek Green about the evolution of digital assets, stablecoins, and tokenized deposits, exploring their implications for the future of finance and banking.

10. 7 Oct 2025

    Inside the Family Office: Managing Wealth, Expectations, and Legacy | Citi Institute Podcast

    Hannes Hofmann, Kate Moore, and Dawn Nordberg discuss the 2025 Global Family Office Report, examining investment approaches, succession planning, and generational wealth preservation, in an interview with Alex Miller.

11. 10 Jul 2025

    Crypto, Stablecoins, and the Future of Digital Money

    Honorable Caroline Pham and Ronit Ghose explore digital money's future, examining crypto assets, blockchain, and regulatory clarity with host Alex Miller in an interview.

12. 17 Jun 2025

    The Fundraising Journey: Navigating Private Placements and Strategic Partnerships

    Kelly Ahuja, CEO of Versa Networks, and John Collmer, Global Head of ECM Private Placements at Citi, discuss fundraising strategies for companies at different growth stages with host Alex Miller in an interview.

13. 3 Jun 2025

    What Agentic AI Means for Leaders

    Prag Sharma, Global Head of Artificial Intelligence, discusses agentic AI's potential uses in finance and business with host Ronit Ghose, exploring workforce impacts and implementation considerations in this interview.

14. 27 May 2025

    The Great Wealth Transfer

    Alex Miller interviews Chayce Horton and Chuck Cavanaugh about the great wealth transfer, exploring financial planning, education, and relationship-building to ensure smooth transitions for younger generations.

15. 13 May 2025

    Invest USA - Global Trade in Focus

    In this episode of the Citi Institute podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Candi Wolff, Citi’s Head of Global Government Affairs and Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist at Citi to discuss the rationale for the current U.S. tariff regime, and to share their insights on the administration's ongoing trade negotiations and the global impact. Candi Wolff, highlights the importance of understanding the political processes and key decision-makers (such as the president) in shaping US trade policy. Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist at Citi provides an overview of the different trade corridors (China, USMCA, and the rest of the world) and the varying degrees of difficulty in negotiating tariff deals within each. Our guests reflect on the broader geopolitical and technological disruption, with AI and digital transformation accelerating amid the trade tensions. The speaker's views are their own may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.

16. 29 Apr 2025

    Tokenization and the Shift to 24/7 Finance

    In this special episode of the Citi Institute podcast, host Ronit Ghose is joined by Ryan Rugg, Head of Digital Assets for Treasury and Trade Solutions, Citi to discuss the possibilities and challenges that come with Tokenization, and to share their insights on 24/7 Finance and what it might mean for industries and society as a whole. Ryan Rugg, Head of Digital Assets for Treasury and Trade Solutions, Citi is optimistic that 2025 will mark broader institutional adoption of digital assets as global and U.S. clarity increases. Our guest reflects on tokenization, programmable finance, and global 24/7 infrastructure as transformative for the financial system — if built within a compliant, scalable framework. The speakers’ views are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided, nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.

17. 14 Apr 2025

    The Rise of AI Robots

    In this episode of The Citi Institute podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Shenwei Zhu, Managing Director, Investment Banking Division, Citi and Felix Zhang, CEO and Founder, Pudu Robotics to discuss the possibilities and challenges that come with the rapid advancements in the field of robotics, the rise of AI-powered robots that can see, learn, move, talk, and take actions, and what that means for the future. Shenwei Zhu, Managing Director, Investment Banking Division, Citi highlights the importance of data availability and techniques like virtual simulation to train physical AI models and the potential impact of robotics on the labor force. Felix Zhang, CEO and Founder, Pudu Robotics offers advice for aspiring robotics entrepreneurs, emphasising the importance of technology, long-term vision, customer collaboration, and global expansion. Our guests share insights on the growth of the robotics industry, emerging policy and regulatory considerations, including implications for the labor force.

18. 27 Mar 2025

    Agentic AI – The Autonomous Edge

    In this episode of The Citi Institute podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer, Mastercard and Sophia Bantanidis, Analyst, Future of Finance, Citi Institute team, to discuss the possibilities and challenges that come with creating AI systems, and to share their insights on Agentic AI technologies and innovations and what it might mean for industries, creativity, and society as a whole. Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer, Mastercard provides an optimistic outlook on the sustainable and transformative impact of AI on commerce and society at large, the key drivers of growth, and the role of emerging technologies. Sophia Bantanidis highlights the different types of Artificial Intelligence, the need for investment in cyber technology, and how banks are responding to Agentic AI. Our guests reflect on the cost profile, the opportunities for commerce, and the need for ethical and responsible AI development.

Who has been a guest on The Citi Institute Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Arvind Purushotham
• Professor Carl-Benedikt Frey
• Logan Kilpatrick
• Shobhit Varshney
• Dr Prag Sharma

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

160,560,625

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

50

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

0

Contact The Citi Institute Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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