Citizens Financial Group, Inc. named Keith Kelly as Citizens Bank Rhode Island President. Kelly has worked in Rhode Island for 21 years and lives in Barrington. He has led Citizens’ corporate banking team in Rhode Island for the past four years and will continue in that capacity.

Kelly has long been active in the community and currently serves as chairman of the board for HopeHealth. He is also on the boards of the United Way of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Bankers Association.

Kelly succeeds Marc Paulhus, who will continue in his role as Head of Citizens’ national Asset Finance business. Paulhus will be relocating back to Chicago and will focus on the asset finance business, an important area for Citizens Commercial Banking.

As Rhode Island state president, Kelly will join the company’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Rhode Island Market Executive, Barbara Cottam, in leading Citizens’ engagement with civic, business and community leaders across the state, where Citizens is a market leader and employs more than 5,300 colleagues.

“We are pleased to have a banker of Keith’s caliber to head up our Rhode Island leadership team,” said Donald H. McCree, vice chairman for Commercial Banking. “Keith’s considerable banking experience and leadership skills will benefit both our Rhode Island customers and the broader Rhode Island community as he takes on this new role. I’d also like to thank Marc Paulhus for his outstanding leadership and the many contributions he made to Rhode Island in his role as state president.”

“I am honored by this opportunity to help our local team continue to provide great solutions for our Rhode Island customers,” said Kelly, who joined Citizens in 2011.

Kelly graduated with a degree in accounting and economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and received his MBA from the University of Miami.