CitiLife: Tales of a London City Banker is a captivating memoir by Hiren Singharay, chronicling his remarkable journey from humble beginnings in India to the high-stakes world of international finance at Citibank in London. Beginning with a chance phone call in 1984 that led to his unexpected entry into Citi, Singharay recounts fifteen exhilarating years navigating the transformative 1990s-a decade of monumental global shifts, from the fall of the Iron Curtain to the opening of emerging markets across Europe, Africa, Asia, and beyond.
Through vivid anecdotes and heartfelt reflections, Singharay paints a lively portrait of life inside one of the world's premier banks. Readers are transported to bustling boardrooms, exotic signing ceremonies in castles and breweries, and whirlwind travels spanning four continents in as many weeks. He shares tales of forging deals in post-communist Poland, syndicating landmark loans in newly democratic South Africa, and negotiating with Japanese conglomerates in London pubs. Amid the thrill of closing multimillion-dollar transactions, he reveals the human side of banking: the camaraderie among colleagues, the cultural clashes, the triumphs over adversity, and the occasional misadventures-like mistaking Tonbridge for Tunbridge Wells on his first interview day.
Dedicated to his grandchildren, this book is more than a career retrospective; it's a testament to resilience, opportunity, and the joy of a life well-lived. Singharay's warm, witty prose brings to life the era's financial innovations-syndicated loans, bonds, swaps-and the personal growth that came with them. From learning German on the fly in Frankfurt to mastering the art of public speaking at Citi's training center