Citi Hires New Leveraged Finance Managing Director

Ilir Hasi joins the Citi team in October 2026 after seven and a half years at Deutsche Bank.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Corporate Finance

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Citi appointed Ilir Hasi as a managing director for its leveraged finance team, continuing the firm's strategic expansion of its financial sponsors division. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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In October 2026, Ilir Hasi joined Citi as a managing director within the firm's leveraged finance team. His appointment follows his recent tenure at Deutsche Bank.

Why it matters

The hire aligns with Citi's ongoing strategy to invest in its financial sponsors team and bolster its broader leveraged finance capabilities. This recruitment continues a trend of attracting talent from competing global financial institutions.

Leveraged finance managing directors earned an average of $1.6 million in 2025, which compares to a $1.1 million average for broader investment banking peers. Citi reported growth in leveraged finance revenue during the third quarter of 2026.

The players

Ilir Hasi

He is the newly appointed managing director for Citi who previously served in a leadership role at Deutsche Bank.

Citi

This is a major global financial services corporation that provides banking, investment, and wealth management products to its clients.

Deutsche Bank

This is a multinational investment bank and financial services company headquartered in Germany.

Antonio Iannella

He is a managing director recently hired by Citi to bolster the firm's financial sponsors team based in Milan.

Ludovic Ingelaere

He is a leveraged finance managing director who transitioned from Deutsche Bank to join the team at Citi in 2025.

The details

Hasi joins Citi following seven and a half years at Deutsche Bank, where he was promoted to managing director in 2024. The firm also recently added Antonio Iannella as a sponsors managing director in Milan to further expand its reach.

Timeline

  1. Jenner Kizer joined Citi from Deutsche Bank in 2022.

  2. Ilir Hasi became a managing director at Deutsche Bank in 2024.

  3. Ludovic Ingelaere joined Citi from Deutsche Bank in July 2025.

  4. Ilir Hasi joined Citi as a managing director in October 2026.

Market Landscape

This appointment follows the pattern established by the 2025 leveraged finance recruitment wave at Citi. The move signals a competitive push to consolidate market share in the financial sponsors sector against rival global investment banks.

For institutional clients, this expansion suggests deeper coverage and increased capacity for leveraged finance transactions at Citi. These personnel moves typically influence the firm's ability to structure complex debt offerings for corporate borrowers.

The takeaway

Top-tier investment banks frequently use aggressive talent acquisition to secure specialized expertise in high-yield debt sectors. Hiring experienced leadership from competitors is a standard mechanism for firms seeking to scale revenue in specific divisions.

Further reading

For more information on the firm's latest personnel moves, visit the Corporate Finance section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by EFinancialCareers.

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