Citibank Argentina

Citibank Argentina is a commercial bank and financial services company and a subsidiary of Citigroup. It currently provides institutional services. In 2016, its retail operations were sold to Banco Santander Argentina.

1. Overview

Citibank Argentina was established in 1914 as the Buenos Aires branch of the National City Bank of New York, and the first of any United States bank in Argentina. The bank remained a secondary name in Argentine banking; but earned renown for the quality of its services: its Paylink payment processing network made it the first bank in Argentina to earn an ISO 9000 (1997), and in 2002, Citiservice y Citiphone Banking earned the institution an ISO 9002 certification.

The president of Citicorp Argentina during the 1990s, H. Richard Handley, had been raised in Argentina with the chairman of Citigroup at the time, John S. Reed, and obtained his support for the bank's lucrative participation in the 1990 sale of the state telephone concern ENTel. Under bank president Carlos Fedrigotti, the bank acquired Buenos Aires–based Banco Mayo in 1998, stabilizing the insolvent institution's finances, and doubling Citibank's network. Losses registered during the 1998–2002 Argentine great depression prompted an investigation in 2004 by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In 1999, the division acquired Provencred; it was sold to Banco Comafi in 2009. In April 2017, its retail division was sold to Banco Santander Argentina. At that time, the bank had US$1.4 billion in assets and provided credit cards, personal loans, deposit accounts, and a retail brokerage business.

1. = Headquarters =

The headquarters of Citibank Argentina, at Bartolomé Mitre 502, are in the heart of the Buenos Aires financial district, and face the offices of the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires and Banco Santander Argentina, two of its largest competitors. The building, notable for its Art Deco façade and main hall, was designed by Luis Aberastain Oro and Lyman Dudley, and completed in 1929. The building was also known in its early decades for the Club Americano, a social club located on the top floor, and popular with Buenos Aires' sizable American expatriate community.

1. References

Nearby Places View Menu

Banco Santander Argentina

Banco Santander Argentina (formerly Banco Río de la Plata and then Banco Santander Río) is a commercial bank and financial services company and affiliate of the Santander, Cantabria (Spain) based Santander Group. Based in Buenos Aires, its banking operations are the third largest in Argentina, as well as the largest among all privately owned banks in the country. The bank has 430 branches, 3.5million clients and more than 8,500 employees.

Bank Landmark

Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de la Santísima Trinidad) is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. It is located in the city center, overlooking Plaza de Mayo, on the corner of San Martín and Rivadavia streets, in the San Nicolás neighbourhood. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and held the rank of Primatial church of Argentina from 1822 to 2024. The cathedral was declared a National Historic Monument in 1942. On 7 September 2024, the Santiago del Estero Cathedral was elevated to the rank of Primatial cathedral of Argentina in place of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral. Pope Francis cited historical reasons for the transfer, as it was in Santiago del Estero that the first local diocese was created in 1570.

Church Historic Site

Florida Street

Florida Street (Spanish: Calle Florida) is a popular shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913. The pedestrian section as such starts at the intersection of Perú Street and Avenida de Mayo, a block north of the Plaza de Mayo; Perú Street crosses Rivadavia Avenue, and becomes Florida Street. Florida Street runs northwards for approximately one kilometer to Plaza San Martín, in the Retiro area. It intersects Buenos Aires's other pedestrian street, Lavalle, at the heart of the former cinema district. Florida is one of the city's leading tourist attractions. Florida Street bustles with shoppers, vendors, and office workers alike because of its proximity to the financial district. By evening, the pace relaxes as street performers flock to the area, including tango singers and dancers, living statues, and comedy acts. Its variety of retail stores, shopping arcades, and restaurants is of great interest to foreign tourists and business travelers.

Landmark Neighbourhood

Buenos Aires House of Culture

The Buenos Aires House of Culture is an architectural landmark in the Montserrat section of the Argentine capital.

Art Historic Site