Citizens Financial Group announced that Azra Pravdic has been named head of Enterprise Strategy, effective May 12. Azra will report to John Woods, Vice Chair and Chief Financial Officer, and to Bruce Van Saun, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. She will sit on the bank’s Executive Committee and will oversee a broad portfolio that includes strategy, corporate development, customer experience, innovation, sustainability, and agile operating model.

“Azra brings a wealth of experience in building out innovative corporate growth strategies, while ensuring the needs of the customer are at the forefront,” said Bruce Van Saun, Chairman and CEO, Citizens. “I look forward to her contributions as a member of our Executive Committee as we continue to advance our key strategic initiatives.”

Pravdic most recently served as a Partner at McKinsey & Company where she was a senior member of the firm's Financial Services practice. In this role, she worked with clients on topics such as strategy, growth initiatives, commercial excellence, risk and compliance, and process and cost transformation. She also supported clients on customer experience, including customer strategy and customer journey decisioning.

“Azra is a talented and innovative leader who will help drive our enterprise strategy forward,” added Woods. “She will lead an expanded strategy function tasked with ensuring that we are positioned well for prudent and sustainable growth.”

Pravdic, who began her career at J.P. Morgan Chase, initially joined McKinsey's New York office in 2011 and was named Partner in 2019. She brings global experience, having worked in Europe, and has advised a range of financial institutions across banking, wealth management, payments, and financial infrastructure providers.