Citibank Appoints Kaustubh Kulkarni as Asia-Pacific IB Co-Head

In a strategic leadership move, Citibank has appointed Kaustubh Kulkarni as the new co-head of investment banking for Asia-Pacific, a region encompassing key markets like Japan, North Asia, Australia, and South Asia. Kulkarni, a seasoned finance executive with nearly three decades at JPMorgan, is set to join Citigroup in December 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.

He will operate from Singapore, working alongside Jan Metzger, Citi’s current head of investment banking for Asia Pacific.

Kaustubh Kulkarni’s Experience and Role

Kulkarni brings a wealth of experience in cross-border deal-making, capital markets, and investment banking leadership. At JPMorgan, he served in multiple roles,

• Country Officer for India
• Head of Investment Banking, India
• Co-Head of Southeast Asia Investment Banking
• His appointment aligns with Citi’s ambition to expand its investment banking footprint in Asia, especially as the region sees a surge in billion-dollar IPOs, cross-border M&A, and private equity activity.

At Citi, Kulkarni will help lead a diverse investment banking team across the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on corporate advisory, capital raising, and strategic transactions.

Additional Key Appointments

Citibank has also strengthened its leadership bench in the region with two more strategic hires,

• Vikram Chavali, formerly with Goldman Sachs, joins as Managing Director and Head of Global Asset Managers (GAM) for Japan, Asia, and Australia. Based in Hong Kong, Chavali previously led Asia ex-Japan M&A at Goldman.
• Deepak Dangayach has been named Managing Director and Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets for Asia and Australia, indicating Citi’s focus on expanding its presence in the fixed income and bond issuance space across the region.

Quick exam takeaways

• Appointee: Kaustubh Kulkarni
• New Role: Co-head of Investment Banking, Asia-Pacific
• Base Location: Singapore