Episode 4: Representing For Representation
Have you ever wondered how a global bank like Citibank optimizes its brand across 95 countries worldwide? Or how it infuses diversity, equity, and inclusion into its marketing strategy and product experience to effectively represent marginalized communities?
In the latest episode of the podcast, we are in conversation with Nikki Darden, whose most recent role was focused on bringing Citibank’s brand to life for their 200,000+ colleagues and driving diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout Citi’s marketing ecosystem.
Nikki shares her journey of how the personal and the professional are inextricably connected as she delivers impact for underrepresented communities across a global organization while being a force for change by standing in her truth, bringing her full self to the workplace, and consistently asking of those around her, “what can we do?”
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Show Notes
Nikki Darden was most recently the Managing Director of Brand Engagement and Integration at Citibank, where she led efforts to bring Citi’s brand to life for their 200,000+ colleagues; driving diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout Citi’s marketing ecosystem; amplifying the company’s ESG and Purpose initiatives; and ensuring that Citi’s brand experience is consistent across the world. In 2021, Nikki was recognized as a member of Citi’s Most Powerful Women in Banking team, as awarded by American Banker.
Prior to joining Citi’s Global Marketing organization, Nikki led the company’s global loyalty program and held leadership roles in customer engagement strategy, customer experience, and segmentation strategy for Citi Cards in the US, as well as completing an expat assignment with Citi Brazil. Before joining Citi, Nikki spent 12 years at American Express, where she held a variety of roles across its Consumer Cards and Global Commercial Card divisions.
Nikki is a proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Nikki originally hails from Portsmouth, Virginia, and when she’s not traveling the world with friends and family, she can be found discovering new finds in her beloved Clinton Hills neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.
Talking Points in this Episode:
Nikki explains her role in optimizing Citi's brand and discusses the integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion into Citi's marketing efforts and its vital importance within the walls of Citi and on behalf of the millions of customers Citi serves across the globe.
Nikki shares her journey to a fuller realization of what brings her joy, including entrepreneurial ‘enlightenment,’ that being an intrapreneur is what she does best, and finding and owning your ‘power’ can bring true satisfaction.
She explains how “what can we do?” can be the ignition to spark change and innovation by focusing efforts on incremental improvement that can have a powerful and positive impact.
And more…
More About Nikki Darden:
LinkedIn: Nikki Darden | Instagram: dardenn
For more information:
For the love of seeing you for you: Citi Chosen Name
Transcript
[00:00:00] More Elephant Intro
[00:00:33] Jason Rudman: Welcome to the latest More Elephant podcast. Thought leadership for today's world. Where I get the privilege of talking with change makers, idea makers, and I think people ultimately, as I'm coming to learn, just living their best life.
I'm excited today to talk with Nikki Darden. Nikki and I have known each other for, I was looking it up, probably about 20 years, 20 plus years. And we started knowing each other when we were 12, I like to say, because we both look fantastic. To describe Nikki in her current role, I had to look it up because you know, it's not just one title, there's four titles.
I'm going to welcome you and then I'm going to ask you to explain what all of that means for everybody that's listening. Okay, so you at Citi are, if I have this correct, the head of global marketing integration, DEI brand strategy, Purpose marketing and internal brand engagement.
[00:01:33] Nikki Darden: Yes.
[00:01:34] Jason Rudman: So that's a whole lot.
Read more…
