[經濟廣角]花旗集團將接受更嚴格管理

與美國聯邦存款保險公司（FDIC）接近達成一項祕密協議，該協議將加強對花旗的監督並強制其解決財務、管理和公司治理方面存在的問題，內容涉及包括減資和改善管理等一系列計劃，主要是對該銀行已開始實施的策略進行補充。

知情人士表示，在FDIC不斷施壓的情況下，最終協議可能很快出爐。根據協議，花旗集團將加強董事會和公司治理、提升資產質量、費用管理更加合理化，並向監管機構提供更多資本和流動性方面的信息。

Citi （花旗集團）hires external help to probe management

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US regulators have forced Citigroup to hire external consultants to consider whether its current management is up to the job of leading the troubled bank out of the financial crisis, in a decision that intensifies pressure on its top executives and board.

People close to the situation said Citi had retained Egon Zehnder, a headhunter（獵頭） and board advisory consultancy, to carry out an in-depth management review requested by the government after stress tests on banks in May.

The push for Citi to enlist external help, led by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation（聯邦存款保險公司） and backed by other regulators, underlines authorities’ desire to keep Citi’s upper echelons on a tight leash after rescuing the bank with $45bn. It also raises questions about the long-term future of Vikram Pandit, Citi’s chief executive who is under fire from the FDIC, and other senior executives.

People familiar with the matter said Citi had to present a plan of action about possible managerial changes to the board and regulators by the time it reports third-quarter results in October.

Citi has added eight new directors and replaced its finance chief in recent months.

Citi, the FDIC and Egon Zehnder declined to comment.

After the stress tests, regulators said the 10 banks that were found to need more capital had to review their management’s “expertise （專門知識）and ability to manage the risks presented by the current economic environment”.

Not all were ordered to hire external consultants. Bank of America is carrying out an internal review, according to people familiar with the matter.

Banking experts said it was not unusual for banks under close regulatory scrutiny to be asked to hire external consultants to review the strength of their managements and boards. As reported by the Financial Times last month, Citi has entered an agreement with the FDIC that increases scrutiny of the bank and requires it to fix financial, managerial and governance issues.

Keke Vew: 花旗集團（Citigroup）是當今世界資產規模最大、利潤最多、全球連鎖性最高、業務門類最齊全的金融服務集團。它是由花旗公司與旅行者集團於1998年合併而成、並於同期換牌上市的。換牌上市後，花旗集團運用增發新股集資於股市收購、或定向股權置換等方式進行大規模股權運作與擴張，並對收購的企業進行花旗式戰略輸出和全球化業務整合，成爲美國第一家集商業銀行、投資銀行、保險、共同基金、證券交易等諸多金融服務業務於一身的金融集團。合併後的花旗集團總資產達7000億美元，淨收入爲 500億美元，在100個國家有1億客戶，擁有6000萬張信用卡的消費客戶。從而成爲世界上規模最大的全能金融集團之一。使花旗集團在短短五年時間裏，總資產規模擴大了71%，股東權益增加92%，資本實力不斷提高；總收入提高72%，利潤增長 2.6倍，表現出不凡的盈利能力；其股票在進行一次送股（每3股送1股）和 22次分紅派息（每股分紅共計$3.82）的情況下，每股淨值仍提高了一倍，價格翻了一番。花旗股票是紐約股市著名的績優藍籌股，如其業務品牌一樣著名。