Executive in charge of citizen experiences to step down from position
Citizens Financial Group's Vice Chair and Chief Experience Officer, Beth Johnson, to Retire
Beth Johnson, the vice chair and chief experience officer of Citizens Financial Group, is set to retire on March 3, after an 11-year tenure with the Providence, Rhode Island-based lender.
During her time at Citizens Financial Group, Johnson oversaw customer experience and digital design, enterprise payments strategy, and the bank's sustainability & impact programs. She was instrumental in building the bank's digital, data, and marketing capabilities while focusing on customer needs. Johnson also drove the company's environmental, social, and governance initiatives to support the communities the lender served.
The bank is working on a "smooth and thoughtful transition" to build on the progress and momentum Johnson has established. As part of this transition, the bank will create a senior executive role, which will be part of the executive committee, overseeing an expanded corporate strategy function. Don McCree, senior vice chair and head of commercial banking, will lead enterprise payments work, while Brendan Coughlin, vice chair and head of consumer banking, will oversee data, analytics, and marketing teams.
In addition, marketing, enterprise data, analytics, enterprise payments, and some support functions will report to consumer banking as part of the initiative. The bank will decentralize its enterprise experience organization to align with the bank's businesses and other functions.
Johnson has had a distinguished career before joining Citizens Financial Group. Her career history began at Falcon Cable TV, where she worked for the chief operating officer in various roles that included analytics and public affairs. Beth Johnson was also a partner at Bain & Co. for approximately 15 years before joining Citizens Financial Group in 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Johnson expressed excitement about pursuing a portfolio of activities in her career during her next phase. She will focus on board service, advising companies, charitable work, and other endeavors. The bank did not provide details about the nature or scope of Johnson's charitable work and other endeavors during her next chapter.
The bank did not mention any plans to sell licensing rights for commercial or retail operations or hire a successor for Johnson's role. The bank also confirmed that it will not hire a successor for the chief experience officer role.
Beth Johnson is a member of the board at Invesco. Her future activities outside of Citizens Financial Group are not specified beyond board service, advising companies, charitable work, and other endeavors.
Johnson's leadership and contributions to Citizens Financial Group have been significant, and the bank wishes her all the best in her future endeavors.
- Beth Johnson's leadership and financial acumen were instrumental in driving strategic decisions and shaping the future of Citizens Financial Group, particularly in areas such as customer experience, digital design, and sustainability.
- As Johnson embarks on her next phase in her career, focusing on board service, advising businesses, charitable work, and other ventures, her profound understanding of leadership, finance, and business will undoubtedly continue to impact various industries in a positive manner.
