Citizens Financial Group, Inc. announced Wednesday that Brendan Coughlin, currently vice chair and head of Consumer, Private Banking and Wealth, has been promoted to president, reporting to Bruce Van Saun, chairman and CEO.
As president, Coughlin will continue to oversee Consumer Banking, Citizens Private Bank, and Wealth, in addition to a recently broadened scope which includes Enterprise Data & Analytics and Marketing.
“Brendan has a long track record of strong leadership and execution against some of our most important initiatives, and he has earned the trust and respect of our stakeholders, including the board and our colleagues,” said Van Saun. “His efforts have contributed significantly to our transformation into a top super-regional bank, and I am confident that his passion and leadership will continue to propel Citizens forward.”
Over his 20 years at Citizens, Coughlin has developed and launched several of the bank’s most innovative offerings, including merchant point-of-sale financing partnerships with Apple and Microsoft, national education refinance products, and expansion of the consumer franchise into new markets.
Coughlin’s focus on growth, driving innovation, and improving customer experience has directly contributed to the strong performance and market share gains of the consumer franchise. In 2023, he was instrumental in the national launch of Citizens Private Bank, which continues to deliver strong performance, recently reaching $8.7 billion in high-quality deposits and $5.2 billion in assets under management (AUM).
The bank has also made meaningful strides in broadening its Wealth Management capabilities under Coughlin’s leadership, including the addition of new advisory teams in California, Boston and Florida.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence from Bruce and the board in being named president,” Coughlin said. “I look forward to delivering on our objectives and continuing to create value for our shareholders, customers, colleagues, and communities.”
Woods to Leave Citizens
Citizens also announced that current Vice Chair and Chief Financial Officer John Woods has decided to depart from Citizens to accept another opportunity. He is expected to leave in August 2025. The company will initiate a formal internal and external search and Woods will continue to work with the bank’s strong Finance team to ensure a smooth transition.
“John has been important to our success at Citizens over the last eight years, during which he has been instrumental in shaping our long-term financial strategy and delivering on our growth objectives while navigating a complex economic landscape,” Van Saun said. “I’ve enjoyed working with him, I am grateful for his contributions, and I wish him the best in his next chapter.”
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $220.1 billion in assets as of March 31, 2025. Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions.
In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of 3,100 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia.
In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities.
