The Most Powerful Women in Finance: No. 25, Maria Hackley, Citigroup

When Maria Hackley started recruiting talent at Georgetown University early in her career at Citigroup , impressing her managers was an accidental result.

"Part of one's success is the incremental things that one does outside of their day job that help senior leaders meet their goals," Hackley explained.

It was the early 1990s and Hackley was a coverage banker at Citi. In her free time, she flew from New York City to Washington, D.C., seeking new talent among women, Latinos and members of the LGBTQ community at her alma mater.

"We focus on bringing in a diverse talent pool because we're a global institution," Hackley said.

She's since risen high in the ranks at Citi, currently serving as the global head of the industrials group and overseeing a large chunk of the bank's $2.41 trillion in assets.

Hear her speak at The Most Powerful Women in Banking Conference in New York City, October 22-23.

Her other responsibilities include leading the team that drives revenue generation for the firm's global industrial network, which operates in more than 100 countries. Among her areas of focus are capital structure, acquisition finance, debt issuance, risk management, treasury services and more.

Hackley has also been General Electric's lead banker for 19 years and knows the multinational conglomerate's business inside and out.

"I originate transactions and revenues for [Citi], but my job is to be the client and industry expert and to identify client needs and harness all of Citi to meet those needs," she said.

Hackley keeps her finger on the pulse of market trends, identifying growth opportunities and anticipating challenges. In the last year, she helped Citi's industrial clients address sustainability goals set by their customers and investors.

Under Hackley's leadership, the bank's metals and mining team reduced its inclusion of companies that manufacture coal to 5% of its portfolio, she said.

Additionally, as the car industry shifts away from internal combustion engines, Hackley helps Citi's auto clients access capital and liquidity to outfit their factories with equipment to build autonomous vehicles.

Despite her breadth of expertise, Hackley credits much of her success to her experience mentoring junior leadership. Nearly two decades ago, she was assigned GE as a client partially because of the positive impression her recruiting efforts gave her manager at the time, she recalled.

"I never knew that senior people were saying, 'Wow, that is leadership,'" she said.

Today, Hackley makes herself available to budding banking professionals in and outside industrials. She shares her insights at industry events and served as the lead interviewer and moderator at Citi's International Women's Day 2024.

"People make time to go to the gym. I make time to speak to junior talent," Hackley said. "It's really important for men and women to pay it forward. It creates commitment and it creates community."