PROVIDENCE – Citizens Financial Group Inc. says Claude E. Wade has been appointed to the company’s board of directors, starting March 1 next year, as the board prepares for the retirement of Wendy Watson, who has been a Citizens director since 2010. Watson is due to step down in April.
Wade, who has more than 30 years of executive experience, primarily with Fortune 100 companies, serves as executive vice president, chief digital officer and global head of business operations and global head of claims at American International Group Inc., overseeing its business operations, claims, data, innovation and digital teams. Prior to joining AIG in 2021, he served as BlackRock Inc.’s global head of client experience and head of the Atlanta Innovation Hub, where he was responsible for reshaping the global distribution ecosystem and improving the digital experience for BlackRock clients, revenue retention and efficiency improvements.
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“We are pleased to welcome Claude to our board of directors,” said Citizens Chairman and CEO Bruce Van Saun. “He has a proven track record of embracing new technologies and delivering innovative solutions to customers. He brings broad expertise and valuable insights to the board given his 30-plus-year career in financial services with major financial institutions.”
Prior to BlackRock, Wade spent approximately eight years with Marsh LLC and Guy Carpenter & Co. LLC, both operating subsidiaries of Marsh McLennan, in multiple leadership roles. Wade is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and certified Agile Scrum Master. He received his MBA from New York University, Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Pace University.
Citizens said Watson will retire from the board after her current term expires at the annual meeting of shareholders in April 2025. Watson currently serves as chair of the audit committee and is a member of the risk committee and the compensation and human resources committee. She has reached the mandatory retirement age under the company’s corporate governance guidelines.
When Watson joined the board in 2010, the institution was owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. In 2014, Citizens started the process of separating from RBS with an initial public offering. By the following year, Citizens was fully public.
“I would like to express my deep appreciation to Wendy for her strong leadership of the audit committee and invaluable contributions since joining our board in 2010 – a highly successful and transformative period for Citizens,” Van Saun said.
