To succeed, you must have your own plan, says Citibank’s boss

Our reporter recently had a chat with Mr Chinedu Ikwudinma, the managing director Citibank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Citicorp, New York, and asked him about his working life. Below are excerpts;

Question: What do you see as your lasting impact on your chosen industry?
I see my lasting impact in my influence on people. I believe I am a source of inspiration and motivation for a lot of young and not-so-young people, with whom I have worked or become acquainted, in the course of my career.
In some cases, my interaction with these friends and associates have led them to believe in themselves and seek excellence in their chosen career, especially in banking.
I am proud that I have influenced the careers of people who have worked and are working in several regions of the world.
I believe in developing people, helping them realize their own strengths, helping them make difficult choices, guiding them through adversity and failure, and celebrating with them in success.

If you had the power, what would you change in your industry?
If I have the opportunity, I will make the understanding of financial affairs easier for the general public, and give people a more complete understanding of their role in undertaking financial and/or banking transactions, and a chance for greater success in their financial affairs.
My employer is a major sponsor of Financial Literacy in Uganda, through the Aflatoun and Aflateen Programme, supported by Citi Foundation. The programme has been instrumental in educating young people on the virtues of financial education.

If you could do it all over again, would you do it differently?
There were times in my life and career when I did not follow my instinct; when I sought the comfort of just letting things happen, hoping to not have to overly exert myself, or to coast to glory. I learnt in very stark terms that this is not a sustainable path to success.
You must have your own plan and strategy; the more long term, the better.
I believe in running my life in the same way. I lost time and possibly focus when I failed to plan or follow my instincts.
On the positive side, I believe I gained wisdom, which may explain why I am able to offer insights to some of my mentees.

How do you relax when you are off work?
I am a person of diverse interests. My first interest, above work or any other, is my family. We spend a substantial amount of time playing around and travelling when we can. I am an avid sports fan, especially athletics, tennis, football and chess.

When do you take a break from work? (how do you plan your family time?)
Family time is every time, as far as I am concerned. Regarding specific programmes, like holidays, these are planned ahead of time.