Citi has appointed Christian Aho as its new boss in Oslo.
Aho will take the position as country head and head of banking for Norway, the US bank said in a statement.
Erik Savola, Citi’s Nordic head, said: “I am confident that Christian will make a significant contribution to the continued growth of the Norwegian franchise and bring the full value of Citi’s global network to the bank’s clients.”
Citi is one of the top-ten shipping lenders, according to Petrofin Research.
The bank had a shipping loan portfolio of about $9bn in 2022.
Aho joins Citi from HSBC, where he had held several senior positions.
He was most recently working in a chief of staff function in London. Before that, he was director of Nordic banking in the Nordic team, setting up the office for HSBC in Stockholm.
“His extensive banking experience, wide network in the financial industry and leadership skills make him an ideal fit for Citi in Norway,” Savola added.
Aho has also worked for NatWest, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi and Barclays.
He will be responsible for driving Citi’s strategy in Norway.
This includes serving as a trusted partner to Citi clients, maintaining a strong risk and control environment and fostering a high-performing, inclusive and supportive culture for the franchise, the bank said.
Aho will start in his new position on 1 May.
He succeeds Pal Rokke who recently left Citi to pursue other opportunities.
Rokke has founded Matca Advisory, where he will be engaged in advisory and mentorship within the areas of corporate finance, international financial markets, financial risk management, treasury policies and leadership, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Citi has been present in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden for 50 years.
