The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Inc. or 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.

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Inc. or 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.&nbsp;

Bio: Jorian Murray  Jorian helps businesses tell better stories working primarily with professional service companies to help them identify and articulate their organizing idea. He applies these to inform coherent, compelling communication campaigns both inside and outside of commissioning organizations. With over 25 years-experience serving many of the world’s most popular brands at advertising agencies in the UK and abroad Jorian launched his consultancy Ask Senex in 2014. He read history at London University and attended the Harvard Business School’s Advance Management Program in 2000.

Jorian helps businesses tell better stories working primarily with professional service companies to help them identify and articulate their organizing idea. He applies these to inform coherent, compelling communication campaigns both inside and outside of commissioning organizations. With over 25 years-experience serving many of the world’s most popular brands at advertising agencies in the UK and abroad Jorian launched his consultancy Ask Senex in 2014. He read history at London University and attended the Harvard Business School’s Advance Management Program in 2000.

Bio: Jorian Murray 

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Inc. or 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. Bio: Jorian Murray  Jorian helps businesses tell better stories working primarily with professional service companies to help them identify and articulate their organizing idea. He applies these to inform coherent, compelling communication campaigns both inside and outside of commissioning organizations. With over 25 years-experience serving many of the world’s most popular brands at advertising agencies in the UK and abroad Jorian launched his consultancy Ask Senex in 2014. He read history at London University and attended the Harvard Business School’s Advance Management Program in 2000.

It’s back! Season 2 of the #GoodThingsHappen podcast returns on October 18th. This season, we’re excited to bring together more than a dozen incredible guests for thought-provoking conversations on the future of finance, crypto, fintech, investing, venture capital, and more. Hear how experts across sectors – such as global leaders at Uber and innovators from the Wharton School – are using their financial skills to tackle poverty, the wealth gap, and social finance, transforming banking into a means for social good. Tune into the first episode on Tuesday, October 18th, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Good Things Happen, Season 2, Trailer

Transcript

For consumers, money needs to move instantaneously. Making payments – and getting paid on time – has been streamlined down to a science, with 4 in 5 Americans routinely using digital payments. But what goes into making sure every transaction happens as seamlessly as customers have come to expect? Hint: a huge amount of work in scaling, development, and technology. Hear from two digital payments specialists - Shahmir Khaliq, Citi’s Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions, and David Nicholls, who specializes in Business Development and Global Payments at Uber – on the major changes that digital payments have brought to commerce, and the innovations still being made so that transactions meet both consumer and business needs worldwide. The views expressed herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or 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. Citibank N.A. and Uber are not affiliated and are independent companies. Citibank has onboarded Uber as a client for payment solutions. The speaker’s views are their own and are not associated or may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates.

For consumers, money needs to move instantaneously. Making payments &ndash; and getting paid on time &ndash; has been streamlined down to a science, with 4 in 5 Americans routinely using digital payments. But what goes into making sure every transaction happens as seamlessly as customers have come to expect? Hint: a huge amount of work in scaling, development, and technology.
&nbsp;
Hear from two digital payments specialists - Shahmir Khaliq, Citi&rsquo;s Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions, and David Nicholls, who specializes in Business Development and Global Payments at Uber &ndash; on the major changes that digital payments have brought to commerce, and the innovations still being made so that transactions meet both consumer and business needs worldwide.
&nbsp;
The views expressed herein are those of the speakers and&nbsp;do not&nbsp;necessarily reflect the&nbsp;views of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change&nbsp;without notice. Neither the information&nbsp;provided&nbsp;nor any opinion expressed constitutes&nbsp;a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion&nbsp;are not&nbsp;intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.
&nbsp;
Citibank N.A. and Uber are not affiliated and are independent companies. Citibank has onboarded Uber as a client for payment solutions.&nbsp; The speaker&rsquo;s views are their own and are not associated or may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates.

Bio: David Nicholls, Global Business Development and Global Payments at Uber David Nicholls manages Uber’s Global Business Development activities for payments. This spans oversight for all commercial work Uber is doing with partners across payment processing for spenders, funds disbursement to earners and card issuing across the Uber marketplace. Prior to joining Uber, over the last 20 years, David has held a variety of executive roles

David Nicholls manages Uber’s Global Business Development activities for payments. This spans oversight for all commercial work Uber is doing with partners across payment processing for spenders, funds disbursement to earners and card issuing across the Uber marketplace. Prior to joining Uber, over the last 20 years, David has held a variety of executive roles

Bio: David Nicholls, Global Business Development and Global Payments at Uber

Bio: Shahmir Khaliq, Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citi Shahmir Khaliq is the Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions in Citi’s Institutional Clients Group and is responsible for managing Treasury and Trade Solutions globally.  This multi-billion dollar business is one of the largest global businesses within Citi’s Institutional Clients Group encompassing integrated working capital solutions serving public sector clients, corporates and financial institutions.
Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) helps enable clients succeed by providing an integrated suite of innovative and tailored cash management and trade finance services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations across the globe. Based on the foundation of the industry's largest proprietary network with banking licenses in over 90 countries and globally integrated technology platforms, TTS continues to lead the way in offering a comprehensive range of digitally enabled treasury, trade and liquidity management solutions.
Shahmir joined Citibank in 1991 in Pakistan as a Management Associate in the Institutional Bank – he left the bank in 1993 to pursue his post graduate education in 1993 and rejoined Citi Pakistan (Banking) in 1995.
During his career at Citi, he has held leadership roles within Banking, Country Management (CCO), Markets & Securities Services, and Treasury services.
Previous to his appointment as the Global Head of TTS in 2021, he was Head of Operations and Technology for the Treasury and Trade Services (TTS) business. Prior to taking this role, Shahmir was the Global Head of Direct Custody & Clearing within Markets and Securities Services since 2017.
Previously, Shahmir led the North America Investor Services business, covering Prime Finance, Futures and the Securities Services franchise for four years (2014-2018). Post the financial crisis (2012-2013), he was the global business lead optimizing the ICG’s global client footprint. He has spent time in country and regional leadership roles – serving as Country (CCO) / Cluster Head for Citi’s Central European business based out of Prague / Bucharest from 2005 through 2012. Shahmir also ran the Energy and Metals Corporate Bank franchise for CEEMEA for almost three years (2003/2005) prior to taking on his CCO role.
Shahmir is a Senior Credit Officer (Business SCO Level 2) since 2004 for Citi - and has degrees in finance and economics from the London Business School (Msc) and London School of Economics in addition to an MBA from the University of Karachi.

Shahmir Khaliq is the Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions in Citi’s Institutional Clients Group and is responsible for managing Treasury and Trade Solutions globally.  This multi-billion dollar business is one of the largest global businesses within Citi’s Institutional Clients Group encompassing integrated working capital solutions serving public sector clients, corporates and financial institutions.
Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) helps enable clients succeed by providing an integrated suite of innovative and tailored cash management and trade finance services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations across the globe. Based on the foundation of the industry's largest proprietary network with banking licenses in over 90 countries and globally integrated technology platforms, TTS continues to lead the way in offering a comprehensive range of digitally enabled treasury, trade and liquidity management solutions.
Shahmir joined Citibank in 1991 in Pakistan as a Management Associate in the Institutional Bank – he left the bank in 1993 to pursue his post graduate education in 1993 and rejoined Citi Pakistan (Banking) in 1995.
During his career at Citi, he has held leadership roles within Banking, Country Management (CCO), Markets & Securities Services, and Treasury services.
Previous to his appointment as the Global Head of TTS in 2021, he was Head of Operations and Technology for the Treasury and Trade Services (TTS) business. Prior to taking this role, Shahmir was the Global Head of Direct Custody & Clearing within Markets and Securities Services since 2017.
Previously, Shahmir led the North America Investor Services business, covering Prime Finance, Futures and the Securities Services franchise for four years (2014-2018). Post the financial crisis (2012-2013), he was the global business lead optimizing the ICG’s global client footprint. He has spent time in country and regional leadership roles – serving as Country (CCO) / Cluster Head for Citi’s Central European business based out of Prague / Bucharest from 2005 through 2012. Shahmir also ran the Energy and Metals Corporate Bank franchise for CEEMEA for almost three years (2003/2005) prior to taking on his CCO role.
Shahmir is a Senior Credit Officer (Business SCO Level 2) since 2004 for Citi - and has degrees in finance and economics from the London Business School (Msc) and London School of Economics in addition to an MBA from the University of Karachi.

Bio: Shahmir Khaliq, Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citi

For consumers, money needs to move instantaneously. Making payments – and getting paid on time – has been streamlined down to a science, with 4 in 5 Americans routinely using digital payments. But what goes into making sure every transaction happens as seamlessly as customers have come to expect? Hint: a huge amount of work in scaling, development, and technology. Hear from two digital payments specialists - Shahmir Khaliq, Citi’s Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions, and David Nicholls, who specializes in Business Development and Global Payments at Uber – on the major changes that digital payments have brought to commerce, and the innovations still being made so that transactions meet both consumer and business needs worldwide. The views expressed herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or 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. Citibank N.A. and Uber are not affiliated and are independent companies. Citibank has onboarded Uber as a client for payment solutions. The speaker’s views are their own and are not associated or may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. Bio: David Nicholls, Global Business Development and Global Payments at Uber David Nicholls manages Uber’s Global Business Development activities for payments. This spans oversight for all commercial work Uber is doing with partners across payment processing for spenders, funds disbursement to earners and card issuing across the Uber marketplace. Prior to joining Uber, over the last 20 years, David has held a variety of executive roles Bio: Shahmir Khaliq, Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citi Shahmir Khaliq is the Global Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions in Citi’s Institutional Clients Group and is responsible for managing Treasury and Trade Solutions globally.  This multi-billion dollar business is one of the largest global businesses within Citi’s Institutional Clients Group encompassing integrated working capital solutions serving public sector clients, corporates and financial institutions.
Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) helps enable clients succeed by providing an integrated suite of innovative and tailored cash management and trade finance services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations across the globe. Based on the foundation of the industry's largest proprietary network with banking licenses in over 90 countries and globally integrated technology platforms, TTS continues to lead the way in offering a comprehensive range of digitally enabled treasury, trade and liquidity management solutions.
Shahmir joined Citibank in 1991 in Pakistan as a Management Associate in the Institutional Bank – he left the bank in 1993 to pursue his post graduate education in 1993 and rejoined Citi Pakistan (Banking) in 1995.
During his career at Citi, he has held leadership roles within Banking, Country Management (CCO), Markets & Securities Services, and Treasury services.
Previous to his appointment as the Global Head of TTS in 2021, he was Head of Operations and Technology for the Treasury and Trade Services (TTS) business. Prior to taking this role, Shahmir was the Global Head of Direct Custody & Clearing within Markets and Securities Services since 2017.
Previously, Shahmir led the North America Investor Services business, covering Prime Finance, Futures and the Securities Services franchise for four years (2014-2018). Post the financial crisis (2012-2013), he was the global business lead optimizing the ICG’s global client footprint. He has spent time in country and regional leadership roles – serving as Country (CCO) / Cluster Head for Citi’s Central European business based out of Prague / Bucharest from 2005 through 2012. Shahmir also ran the Energy and Metals Corporate Bank franchise for CEEMEA for almost three years (2003/2005) prior to taking on his CCO role.
Shahmir is a Senior Credit Officer (Business SCO Level 2) since 2004 for Citi - and has degrees in finance and economics from the London Business School (Msc) and London School of Economics in addition to an MBA from the University of Karachi.

Season 2

For consumers, money needs to move instantaneously. Making payments – and getting paid on time – has been streamlined down to a science, with 4 in 5 Americans routinely using digital payments. But what goes into making sure every transaction happens as seamlessly as customers have come to expect? Hint: a huge amount of work in scaling, development, and technology.

Good Things Happen Episode 4: Trends in Digital Payments

2023 in China is celebrated as the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good luck. However, looking at the state of our global economy is less than encouraging. Continued challenges from the pandemic remain in play, the Russia-Ukraine shows few signs of resolution, Europe is in the jaws of a gas shock, and surging inflation has elicited the most aggressive central bank hiking cycle in a generation. In short, the prospects for the global economy look unusually grim. Thankfully, many of the recessions in our forecast are relatively mild and should help pave the way for improved performance by early 2024. Is this all part of the cycle of trends or are we witnessing something completely new? How does business plan for the inevitable behavioral change in how consumers are spending on goods and services? In this episode, we are joined by guests Elaine Buckberg, Chief Economist of General Motors, and Nathan Sheets, the Global Chief Economist at Citi and for a peek behind the curtain into the Economic Outlook through an economist's lens and why they're feeling optimistic. The views expressed herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or 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. Citibank N.A. and General Motors are not affiliated and are independent companies. Citibank has onboarded General Motors as a client for payment solutions. The speaker’s views are their own and are not associated or may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. Forecasts may not be attained.

2023 in China is celebrated as the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good luck. However, looking at the state of our global economy is less than encouraging. Continued challenges from the pandemic remain in play, the Russia-Ukraine shows few signs of resolution, Europe is in the jaws of a gas shock, and surging inflation has elicited the most aggressive central bank hiking cycle in a generation. In short, the prospects for the global economy look unusually grim. Thankfully, many of the recessions in our forecast are relatively mild and should help pave the way for improved performance by early 2024. Is this all part of the&nbsp;cycle of trends or are we witnessing something completely new? How does business plan for the inevitable behavioral change in how consumers are spending on goods and services?
&nbsp;
In this episode, we are joined by guests Elaine Buckberg, Chief Economist of General Motors, and Nathan Sheets, the Global Chief Economist at Citi and for a peek behind the curtain into the Economic Outlook through an economist's lens and why they're feeling optimistic.
 The views expressed herein are those of the speakers and&nbsp;do not&nbsp;necessarily reflect the&nbsp;views of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change&nbsp;without notice. Neither the information&nbsp;provided&nbsp;nor any opinion expressed constitutes&nbsp;a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion&nbsp;are not&nbsp;intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. 
&nbsp;
Citibank N.A. and General Motors are not affiliated and are independent companies.&nbsp;
Citibank has onboarded General Motors as a client for payment solutions.&nbsp;
The speaker&rsquo;s views are their own and are not associated or may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates.&nbsp;&nbsp;Forecasts may not be attained.&nbsp;

Elaine Buchberg, Chief Economist of General Motors Dr. Elaine Buckberg is Chief Economist of General Motors.&nbsp; She is responsible for assessing the impact of worldwide economic developments on the corporation, and for providing advice on various competitive and economic policy issues.&nbsp; She also heads long-term forecasting of auto segments and vehicles.
&nbsp;
Immediately prior to joining GM, Elaine was a Principal at The Brattle Group, a global economic consultancy, where she conducted research on infrastructure financing and provided expert testimony in high profile financial litigation.&nbsp; She headed Brattle&rsquo;s Washington, D.C. office.
&nbsp;
From 2013-16, Elaine served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Coordination in the Office of Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department.&nbsp; In that role, she advised and provided economic analysis on a wide range of domestic policy issues including infrastructure, housing and housing finance reform, financial regulatory reform, virtual currency, and retirement security.&nbsp; While at Treasury, Elaine played a leading role in initiating and executing President Obama&rsquo;s Build America Investment Initiative on infrastructure, including authoring two white papers on public-private partnerships and innovative infrastructure financing.&nbsp; She led Treasury&rsquo;s economic analyses to support new regulations on derivative reporting and customer due diligence requirements for financial institutions.
Prior to joining Treasury, Elaine was a Senior Vice President at NERA Economic Consulting, where she provided expert testimony and consulting in litigation and regulatory disputes on a wide range of topics including hedge funds; structured finance; valuation of complex derivatives; and foreign exchange.&nbsp;&nbsp; She was actively involved in firm management as a member of NERA&rsquo;s Board of Directors and head of the Strategy Committee.
As a Vice President at Morgan Stanley, she was a currency strategist and then worked in Market Risk Management. &nbsp;Elaine began her career as an Economist at the International Monetary Fund.&nbsp;
Elaine holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Economics and English Literature from Yale University.

Dr. Elaine Buckberg is Chief Economist of General Motors.&nbsp; She is responsible for assessing the impact of worldwide economic developments on the corporation, and for providing advice on various competitive and economic policy issues.&nbsp; She also heads long-term forecasting of auto segments and vehicles.
&nbsp;
Immediately prior to joining GM, Elaine was a Principal at The Brattle Group, a global economic consultancy, where she conducted research on infrastructure financing and provided expert testimony in high profile financial litigation.&nbsp; She headed Brattle&rsquo;s Washington, D.C. office.
&nbsp;
From 2013-16, Elaine served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Coordination in the Office of Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department.&nbsp; In that role, she advised and provided economic analysis on a wide range of domestic policy issues including infrastructure, housing and housing finance reform, financial regulatory reform, virtual currency, and retirement security.&nbsp; While at Treasury, Elaine played a leading role in initiating and executing President Obama&rsquo;s Build America Investment Initiative on infrastructure, including authoring two white papers on public-private partnerships and innovative infrastructure financing.&nbsp; She led Treasury&rsquo;s economic analyses to support new regulations on derivative reporting and customer due diligence requirements for financial institutions.
Prior to joining Treasury, Elaine was a Senior Vice President at NERA Economic Consulting, where she provided expert testimony and consulting in litigation and regulatory disputes on a wide range of topics including hedge funds; structured finance; valuation of complex derivatives; and foreign exchange.&nbsp;&nbsp; She was actively involved in firm management as a member of NERA&rsquo;s Board of Directors and head of the Strategy Committee.
As a Vice President at Morgan Stanley, she was a currency strategist and then worked in Market Risk Management. &nbsp;Elaine began her career as an Economist at the International Monetary Fund.&nbsp;
Elaine holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Economics and English Literature from Yale University.

Elaine Buchberg, Chief Economist of General Motors

Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist, Citi Nathan Sheets, PhD, is Global Chief Economist at Citigroup. &nbsp;In this role, he leads the firm&rsquo;s surveillance and forecasting of the global economy and directs the analysis of the firm&rsquo;s economics team. &nbsp;He interacts closely with Citi&rsquo;s major institutional clients and internal risk takers, and publishes research on cross-cutting themes shaping the global economy and financial markets. &nbsp;Most recently, Mr. Sheets was Chief Economist and a member of the senior investment team at PGIM Fixed Income, a $900 billion asset manager.&nbsp;
He also has served as Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs, representing the U.S. government on international economic issues. &nbsp;Previously, he held positions with Citigroup, as Global Head of International Economics, and with the Federal Reserve Board, as Director of the Division of International Finance and FOMC Economist.
In addition, Mr. Sheets was a senior advisor to the U.S. Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund and a visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He earned a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Nathan Sheets, PhD, is Global Chief Economist at Citigroup. &nbsp;In this role, he leads the firm&rsquo;s surveillance and forecasting of the global economy and directs the analysis of the firm&rsquo;s economics team. &nbsp;He interacts closely with Citi&rsquo;s major institutional clients and internal risk takers, and publishes research on cross-cutting themes shaping the global economy and financial markets. &nbsp;Most recently, Mr. Sheets was Chief Economist and a member of the senior investment team at PGIM Fixed Income, a $900 billion asset manager.&nbsp;
He also has served as Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs, representing the U.S. government on international economic issues. &nbsp;Previously, he held positions with Citigroup, as Global Head of International Economics, and with the Federal Reserve Board, as Director of the Division of International Finance and FOMC Economist.
In addition, Mr. Sheets was a senior advisor to the U.S. Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund and a visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He earned a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist, Citi 

2023 in China is celebrated as the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good luck. However, looking at the state of our global economy is less than encouraging. Continued challenges from the pandemic remain in play, the Russia-Ukraine shows few signs of resolution, Europe is in the jaws of a gas shock, and surging inflation has elicited the most aggressive central bank hiking cycle in a generation. In short, the prospects for the global economy look unusually grim. Thankfully, many of the recessions in our forecast are relatively mild and should help pave the way for improved performance by early 2024. Is this all part of the cycle of trends or are we witnessing something completely new? How does business plan for the inevitable behavioral change in how consumers are spending on goods and services? In this episode, we are joined by guests Elaine Buckberg, Chief Economist of General Motors, and Nathan Sheets, the Global Chief Economist at Citi and for a peek behind the curtain into the Economic Outlook through an economist's lens and why they're feeling optimistic. The views expressed herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or 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. Citibank N.A. and General Motors are not affiliated and are independent companies. Citibank has onboarded General Motors as a client for payment solutions. The speaker’s views are their own and are not associated or may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. Forecasts may not be attained. Elaine Buchberg, Chief Economist of General Motors Dr. Elaine Buckberg is Chief Economist of General Motors.&nbsp; She is responsible for assessing the impact of worldwide economic developments on the corporation, and for providing advice on various competitive and economic policy issues.&nbsp; She also heads long-term forecasting of auto segments and vehicles.
&nbsp;
Immediately prior to joining GM, Elaine was a Principal at The Brattle Group, a global economic consultancy, where she conducted research on infrastructure financing and provided expert testimony in high profile financial litigation.&nbsp; She headed Brattle&rsquo;s Washington, D.C. office.
&nbsp;
From 2013-16, Elaine served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Coordination in the Office of Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department.&nbsp; In that role, she advised and provided economic analysis on a wide range of domestic policy issues including infrastructure, housing and housing finance reform, financial regulatory reform, virtual currency, and retirement security.&nbsp; While at Treasury, Elaine played a leading role in initiating and executing President Obama&rsquo;s Build America Investment Initiative on infrastructure, including authoring two white papers on public-private partnerships and innovative infrastructure financing.&nbsp; She led Treasury&rsquo;s economic analyses to support new regulations on derivative reporting and customer due diligence requirements for financial institutions.
Prior to joining Treasury, Elaine was a Senior Vice President at NERA Economic Consulting, where she provided expert testimony and consulting in litigation and regulatory disputes on a wide range of topics including hedge funds; structured finance; valuation of complex derivatives; and foreign exchange.&nbsp;&nbsp; She was actively involved in firm management as a member of NERA&rsquo;s Board of Directors and head of the Strategy Committee.
As a Vice President at Morgan Stanley, she was a currency strategist and then worked in Market Risk Management. &nbsp;Elaine began her career as an Economist at the International Monetary Fund.&nbsp;
Elaine holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Economics and English Literature from Yale University. Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist, Citi Nathan Sheets, PhD, is Global Chief Economist at Citigroup. &nbsp;In this role, he leads the firm&rsquo;s surveillance and forecasting of the global economy and directs the analysis of the firm&rsquo;s economics team. &nbsp;He interacts closely with Citi&rsquo;s major institutional clients and internal risk takers, and publishes research on cross-cutting themes shaping the global economy and financial markets. &nbsp;Most recently, Mr. Sheets was Chief Economist and a member of the senior investment team at PGIM Fixed Income, a $900 billion asset manager.&nbsp;
He also has served as Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs, representing the U.S. government on international economic issues. &nbsp;Previously, he held positions with Citigroup, as Global Head of International Economics, and with the Federal Reserve Board, as Director of the Division of International Finance and FOMC Economist.
In addition, Mr. Sheets was a senior advisor to the U.S. Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund and a visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He earned a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

2023 in China is celebrated as the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good luck. However, looking at the state of our global economy is less than encouraging. In this episode, we are joined by guests Elaine Buckberg, Chief Economist of General Motors, and Nathan Sheets, the Global Chief Economist at Citi and for a peek behind the curtain into the Economic Outlook through an economist's lens and why they're feeling optimistic.

Good Things Happen Episode 5: Macro Trends and Economic Outlook

Transcript 

Diverse financial institutions across the United States make crucial investments in their communities but are often overlooked for business opportunities by potential clients in favor of bigger Wall Street firms. Citi helps such minority-owned banks, equipping them with the tools to be competitive and participate more fully in the financial services industry. Building access to these financial resources at an institutional level is an important step in addressing the racial wealth gap. In this episode of Good Things Happen, we talk with Susan Plumb, Chair and CEO of Bank of Cherokee County, Dominik Mjartan, President and CEO of Optus Bank, and Harold Butler, Head of Citi’s Diverse Financial Institutions Group about what meaningful work looks like for diverse, mission-driven banks, and how the banking industry is being transformed. Citibank N.A. (“Citi”), Bank of Cherokee County and Optus Bank are not affiliated and are independent companies, though Citi has a nominal equity investment in both the Bank of Cherokee County and Optus 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.

Diverse financial institutions across the United States make crucial investments in their communities but are often overlooked for business opportunities by potential clients in favor of bigger Wall Street firms. Citi helps such minority-owned banks, equipping them with the tools to be competitive and participate more fully in the financial services industry. Building access to these financial resources at an institutional level is an important step in addressing the racial wealth gap.
&nbsp;
In this episode of Good Things Happen, we talk with Susan Plumb, Chair and CEO of Bank of Cherokee County, Dominik Mjartan, President and CEO of Optus Bank, and Harold Butler, Head of Citi&rsquo;s Diverse Financial Institutions Group about what meaningful work looks like for diverse, mission-driven banks, and how the banking industry is being transformed.
 Citibank N.A. (&ldquo;Citi&rdquo;), Bank of Cherokee County and Optus Bank are not affiliated and are independent companies, though Citi has a nominal equity investment in both the Bank of Cherokee County and Optus Bank. The speakers&rsquo; views are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates.
All opinions are subject to change&nbsp;without notice. Neither the information&nbsp;provided&nbsp;nor any opinion expressed constitutes&nbsp;a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion&nbsp;are not&nbsp;intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.

Dominik Mjartan, President and CEO of Optus Bank Dominik Mjartan is President and CEO of Optus Bank, a U.S. Treasury certified CDFI and an MDI (FDIC designated Minority Depository Institution). He spent more than a decade as a senior executive officer at a community development bank, Southern Bancorp, most recently as the Executive Vice President of Southern Bancorp, Inc. (SBI), a holding company for Southern Bancorp Bank and CEO of an affiliated lending company Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP). He is past Chair of the CDFI Coalition and a current director of the Community Development Bankers Association and the National Bankers Association, D.C. based advocacy organizations. He is also finance chair of Midlands Arts Conservatory and serves on the finance committee of Women&rsquo;s Rights &amp; Empowerment Network. Dominik also serves on the board of directors of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development and South Carolina Bankers Association. He earned an MBA at the University of Ulster in United Kingdom, graduating with distinction. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and as a Donaghey Scholar with a B.S. in management from University of Arkansas Little Rock. His wife Georgia is nationally recognized leader and director of South Carolina First Steps, an agency focused on delivering high quality early childhood education services to all children in South Carolina. They strive to live their personal and professional lives according to their family&rsquo;s mission statement &ldquo;to ensure that all people have a fair chance to live productive lives.&rdquo; Dominik came to Optus Bank in the fall of 2017 as President/CEO. He, along with his family, joined successful entrepreneurs Chairman Mitchell and Director Loyd as an investor to build the bank into a transformational wealth building ministry that serves all people regardless where they are on their wealth building journey. Under his leadership, Optus Bank reached over $185 million in assets up from the low of $47 million while directing nearly 90% of loans to underserved communities, businesses and people.

Dominik Mjartan is President and CEO of Optus Bank, a U.S. Treasury certified CDFI and an MDI (FDIC designated Minority Depository Institution). He spent more than a decade as a senior executive officer at a community development bank, Southern Bancorp, most recently as the Executive Vice President of Southern Bancorp, Inc. (SBI), a holding company for Southern Bancorp Bank and CEO of an affiliated lending company Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP). He is past Chair of the CDFI Coalition and a current director of the Community Development Bankers Association and the National Bankers Association, D.C. based advocacy organizations. He is also finance chair of Midlands Arts Conservatory and serves on the finance committee of Women&rsquo;s Rights &amp; Empowerment Network. Dominik also serves on the board of directors of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development and South Carolina Bankers Association. He earned an MBA at the University of Ulster in United Kingdom, graduating with distinction. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and as a Donaghey Scholar with a B.S. in management from University of Arkansas Little Rock. His wife Georgia is nationally recognized leader and director of South Carolina First Steps, an agency focused on delivering high quality early childhood education services to all children in South Carolina. They strive to live their personal and professional lives according to their family&rsquo;s mission statement &ldquo;to ensure that all people have a fair chance to live productive lives.&rdquo; Dominik came to Optus Bank in the fall of 2017 as President/CEO. He, along with his family, joined successful entrepreneurs Chairman Mitchell and Director Loyd as an investor to build the bank into a transformational wealth building ministry that serves all people regardless where they are on their wealth building journey. Under his leadership, Optus Bank reached over $185 million in assets up from the low of $47 million while directing nearly 90% of loans to underserved communities, businesses and people.

Dominik Mjartan, President and CEO of Optus Bank

Harold E. Butler, Jr.​ Head of Diverse Financial Institutions Group, Global Spread Products Cross-Asset, Financing and Securitization, Citi Harold E. Butler, Jr. is a leader in Markets Financing and Securitization group and is responsible for leading Citi&rsquo;s Diverse Financial Institutions Group that consists of support for Minority Deposit Institutions, Diverse Broker Dealers and Asset Managers. He manages and delivers a composition of capital markets, transactional, consumer and corporate banking solutions to a number of small and mid-sized financial institutions. He advises on risk, strategic planning and provides executive coaching to C-Suite leaders. Harold is also responsible for the support of the U.S. Treasury&rsquo;s Mentor Prot&eacute;g&eacute; Bank program, where he leads opportunities and the integration of minority banks onto federal contracts and teaming arrangements. He advises on government best practices, and minority banking. Harold joined Citi in 2006, and currently serves as the Co-Head of the Diversity Operating Committee for Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, which focuses on talent recruitment, retention and enrichment. He serves as a founding member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board within Citi&rsquo;s Institutional Clients Group. Harold has over 35 years of experience supporting the U.S. government, as a member of the armed forces and as a technologist and banker. Harold is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served at XVIII Airborne Corps and 1st Corps Support Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and with NATO in Mons, Belgium. Subsequently, he led various business development efforts during a decade at Microsoft and spent eight years at Freddie Mac as the lead technologist for the Securities, Sales and Trading Group. Harold has been engaged in numerous leadership, charitable and mentoring initiatives over the years. He currently serves as Chair of the National Bankers Association Advisory Board, he serves on board of trustees for PREP for PREP and he has held board positions at several non-profit child development and welfare centers, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and Leadership Fairfax. Harold holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland.

Harold E. Butler, Jr. is a leader in Markets Financing and Securitization group and is responsible for leading Citi&rsquo;s Diverse Financial Institutions Group that consists of support for Minority Deposit Institutions, Diverse Broker Dealers and Asset Managers. He manages and delivers a composition of capital markets, transactional, consumer and corporate banking solutions to a number of small and mid-sized financial institutions. He advises on risk, strategic planning and provides executive coaching to C-Suite leaders. Harold is also responsible for the support of the U.S. Treasury&rsquo;s Mentor Prot&eacute;g&eacute; Bank program, where he leads opportunities and the integration of minority banks onto federal contracts and teaming arrangements. He advises on government best practices, and minority banking. Harold joined Citi in 2006, and currently serves as the Co-Head of the Diversity Operating Committee for Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, which focuses on talent recruitment, retention and enrichment. He serves as a founding member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board within Citi&rsquo;s Institutional Clients Group. Harold has over 35 years of experience supporting the U.S. government, as a member of the armed forces and as a technologist and banker. Harold is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served at XVIII Airborne Corps and 1st Corps Support Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and with NATO in Mons, Belgium. Subsequently, he led various business development efforts during a decade at Microsoft and spent eight years at Freddie Mac as the lead technologist for the Securities, Sales and Trading Group. Harold has been engaged in numerous leadership, charitable and mentoring initiatives over the years. He currently serves as Chair of the National Bankers Association Advisory Board, he serves on board of trustees for PREP for PREP and he has held board positions at several non-profit child development and welfare centers, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and Leadership Fairfax. Harold holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland.

Harold E. Butler, Jr.​ Head of Diverse Financial Institutions Group, Global Spread Products Cross-Asset, Financing and Securitization, Citi 

Susan Plumb CEO, Bank of Cherokee County Susan Chapman Plumb was appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City&rsquo;s Oklahoma City Branch Board of Directors in 2017. Ms. Chapman Plumb serves as board chair and chief executive officer at Bank of Cherokee County, headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, heart of the Cherokee Nation. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Ms. Chapman Plumb received her Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and her law degree from the University of Tulsa and holds a certificate from the school&rsquo;s American Indian law program. Bank of Cherokee County was one of the first Native Owned CDFIs Certified by the U.S. Treasury. Ms. Chapman Plumb has been in banking for over 20 years and previously practiced law in Cherokee County where she represented Cherokee families and children upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act on some of the first cases of the type in the Cherokee Nation. She also serves as a board member on the Tahlequah Hospital Foundation and Markoma Christian Ministries. Ms. Chapman Plumb has served as a delegate to the Cherokee National Constitutional Convention, Chairperson of the Cherokee Nation Election Commission and is a trustee for the Cherokee National Historical Society. She and her husband Loyal have four daughters, four grandsons and three granddaughters, and live on the Upper Illinois River in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.

Susan Chapman Plumb was appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City&rsquo;s Oklahoma City Branch Board of Directors in 2017. Ms. Chapman Plumb serves as board chair and chief executive officer at Bank of Cherokee County, headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, heart of the Cherokee Nation. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Ms. Chapman Plumb received her Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and her law degree from the University of Tulsa and holds a certificate from the school&rsquo;s American Indian law program. Bank of Cherokee County was one of the first Native Owned CDFIs Certified by the U.S. Treasury. Ms. Chapman Plumb has been in banking for over 20 years and previously practiced law in Cherokee County where she represented Cherokee families and children upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act on some of the first cases of the type in the Cherokee Nation. She also serves as a board member on the Tahlequah Hospital Foundation and Markoma Christian Ministries. Ms. Chapman Plumb has served as a delegate to the Cherokee National Constitutional Convention, Chairperson of the Cherokee Nation Election Commission and is a trustee for the Cherokee National Historical Society. She and her husband Loyal have four daughters, four grandsons and three granddaughters, and live on the Upper Illinois River in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.

Susan Plumb CEO, Bank of Cherokee County

Diverse financial institutions across the United States make crucial investments in their communities but are often overlooked for business opportunities by potential clients in favor of bigger Wall Street firms. Citi helps such minority-owned banks, equipping them with the tools to be competitive and participate more fully in the financial services industry. Building access to these financial resources at an institutional level is an important step in addressing the racial wealth gap. In this episode of Good Things Happen, we talk with Susan Plumb, Chair and CEO of Bank of Cherokee County, Dominik Mjartan, President and CEO of Optus Bank, and Harold Butler, Head of Citi’s Diverse Financial Institutions Group about what meaningful work looks like for diverse, mission-driven banks, and how the banking industry is being transformed. Citibank N.A. (“Citi”), Bank of Cherokee County and Optus Bank are not affiliated and are independent companies, though Citi has a nominal equity investment in both the Bank of Cherokee County and Optus 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. Dominik Mjartan, President and CEO of Optus Bank Dominik Mjartan is President and CEO of Optus Bank, a U.S. Treasury certified CDFI and an MDI (FDIC designated Minority Depository Institution). He spent more than a decade as a senior executive officer at a community development bank, Southern Bancorp, most recently as the Executive Vice President of Southern Bancorp, Inc. (SBI), a holding company for Southern Bancorp Bank and CEO of an affiliated lending company Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP). He is past Chair of the CDFI Coalition and a current director of the Community Development Bankers Association and the National Bankers Association, D.C. based advocacy organizations. He is also finance chair of Midlands Arts Conservatory and serves on the finance committee of Women&rsquo;s Rights &amp; Empowerment Network. Dominik also serves on the board of directors of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development and South Carolina Bankers Association. He earned an MBA at the University of Ulster in United Kingdom, graduating with distinction. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and as a Donaghey Scholar with a B.S. in management from University of Arkansas Little Rock. His wife Georgia is nationally recognized leader and director of South Carolina First Steps, an agency focused on delivering high quality early childhood education services to all children in South Carolina. They strive to live their personal and professional lives according to their family&rsquo;s mission statement &ldquo;to ensure that all people have a fair chance to live productive lives.&rdquo; Dominik came to Optus Bank in the fall of 2017 as President/CEO. He, along with his family, joined successful entrepreneurs Chairman Mitchell and Director Loyd as an investor to build the bank into a transformational wealth building ministry that serves all people regardless where they are on their wealth building journey. Under his leadership, Optus Bank reached over $185 million in assets up from the low of $47 million while directing nearly 90% of loans to underserved communities, businesses and people. Harold E. Butler, Jr.​ Head of Diverse Financial Institutions Group, Global Spread Products Cross-Asset, Financing and Securitization, Citi Harold E. Butler, Jr. is a leader in Markets Financing and Securitization group and is responsible for leading Citi&rsquo;s Diverse Financial Institutions Group that consists of support for Minority Deposit Institutions, Diverse Broker Dealers and Asset Managers. He manages and delivers a composition of capital markets, transactional, consumer and corporate banking solutions to a number of small and mid-sized financial institutions. He advises on risk, strategic planning and provides executive coaching to C-Suite leaders. Harold is also responsible for the support of the U.S. Treasury&rsquo;s Mentor Prot&eacute;g&eacute; Bank program, where he leads opportunities and the integration of minority banks onto federal contracts and teaming arrangements. He advises on government best practices, and minority banking. Harold joined Citi in 2006, and currently serves as the Co-Head of the Diversity Operating Committee for Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, which focuses on talent recruitment, retention and enrichment. He serves as a founding member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board within Citi&rsquo;s Institutional Clients Group. Harold has over 35 years of experience supporting the U.S. government, as a member of the armed forces and as a technologist and banker. Harold is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served at XVIII Airborne Corps and 1st Corps Support Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and with NATO in Mons, Belgium. Subsequently, he led various business development efforts during a decade at Microsoft and spent eight years at Freddie Mac as the lead technologist for the Securities, Sales and Trading Group. Harold has been engaged in numerous leadership, charitable and mentoring initiatives over the years. He currently serves as Chair of the National Bankers Association Advisory Board, he serves on board of trustees for PREP for PREP and he has held board positions at several non-profit child development and welfare centers, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and Leadership Fairfax. Harold holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland. Susan Plumb CEO, Bank of Cherokee County Susan Chapman Plumb was appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City&rsquo;s Oklahoma City Branch Board of Directors in 2017. Ms. Chapman Plumb serves as board chair and chief executive officer at Bank of Cherokee County, headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, heart of the Cherokee Nation. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Ms. Chapman Plumb received her Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and her law degree from the University of Tulsa and holds a certificate from the school&rsquo;s American Indian law program. Bank of Cherokee County was one of the first Native Owned CDFIs Certified by the U.S. Treasury. Ms. Chapman Plumb has been in banking for over 20 years and previously practiced law in Cherokee County where she represented Cherokee families and children upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act on some of the first cases of the type in the Cherokee Nation. She also serves as a board member on the Tahlequah Hospital Foundation and Markoma Christian Ministries. Ms. Chapman Plumb has served as a delegate to the Cherokee National Constitutional Convention, Chairperson of the Cherokee Nation Election Commission and is a trustee for the Cherokee National Historical Society. She and her husband Loyal have four daughters, four grandsons and three granddaughters, and live on the Upper Illinois River in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.

Diverse financial institutions across the United States make crucial investments in their communities but are often overlooked for business opportunities by potential clients in favor of bigger Wall Street firms. Citi helps such minority-owned banks, equipping them with the tools to be competitive and participate more fully in the financial services industry. Building access to these financial resources at an institutional level is an important step in addressing the racial wealth gap.

Good Things Happen Episode 6: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

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Good Things Happen, Season 2, Trailer

Good Things Happen Episode 6: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

Good Things Happen Episode 5: Macro Trends and Economic Outlook

Good Things Happen Episode 4: Trends in Digital Payments

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