Citi Hired Paul McEwan as New Technology Chief
The veteran executive returns to Citi to lead technology and infrastructure operations.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in People
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Citi has appointed Paul McEwan as its new chief technology officer and head of infrastructure. He steps into the role previously held by David Griffiths, who has moved to a new position as the group head of artificial intelligence.
Why it matters
The appointment brings a veteran leader back to the bank to oversee critical technical infrastructure. McEwan will collaborate directly with Griffiths on the ongoing development of the Arc platform.
McEwan spent 12.5 years at UBS and eight years at JPMorgan before his recent appointment. His return follows an initial six-year stint at Citi between 2000 and 2006.
The players
Paul McEwan
He is the newly appointed chief technology officer and head of infrastructure at Citi who previously held roles at UBS, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo.
David Griffiths
He is the current Citi group head of artificial intelligence and the former technology leader who is collaborating with McEwan on the Arc platform.
Li Yang
He is a financial technology professional who left Barclays in October 2026 to join Wells Fargo as the head of structured derivatives technology.
Citi
It is a major global financial services corporation headquartered in New York that manages complex banking infrastructure and digital platforms.
Wells Fargo
It is a diversified financial services company that recently hired Li Yang for a senior technology role.
The details
McEwan transitions into this leadership role after a seven-month tenure at Wells Fargo. He will be based in New York and will focus on the bank's core infrastructure initiatives.
Timeline
Paul McEwan previously worked at Citi from 2000 to 2006.
David Griffiths transitioned to his new role in summer 2026.
Li Yang departed Barclays in October 2026.
Market Landscape
Major financial institutions are aggressively recruiting senior technical talent to maintain a competitive edge in digital infrastructure. This hiring cycle reflects a broader industry trend of prioritizing internal platform development like the Arc system over legacy maintenance.
For customers and clients, these high-level leadership changes are intended to stabilize and improve the bank's underlying digital infrastructure. Improved infrastructure typically leads to more reliable online banking services and faster processing times for digital transactions.
The takeaway
The return of long-tenured executives like McEwan to previous firms suggests that major banks are valuing institutional memory alongside modern technical expertise. Investors should watch how this leadership shift influences the development timeline of key proprietary banking platforms.
Further reading
For more updates on corporate leadership, visit the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EFinancialCareers.
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