Titi Cole

IWA Team

July 28, 2026

Titi Cole
Board Director, Citi Group

Titi Cole is an experienced Board Director, financial services C- Suite executive, and global business leader. In her last role at Citigroup, she was the CEO of Legacy Franchises and a member of the Executive Management Team.

With over 30years experience in the financial services, payments, and professional services industries, it includes six years at McKinsey & Company. 

Her Bachelor of Economics degree was from University of Ibadan and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. 

She serves on the Boards of Citigroup (NYSE: C), and DataDog ( NASDAQ: DDOG) a leading provider of cloud monitoring and security solutions. She is also a Board Trustee at CARE USA, and the Queens University of Charlotte and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, CFR, and The Executive Leadership Council, ELC.

One admirable thing about Titi is her love for her mum, who she says is her role model. “She gave me one of the best gifts – the reality of a successful working mother. She put as much into her meaningful career as a scientist as she did into her family and showed me what was possible.” She stated.

She admits that finding work-life harmony is challenging – and not just for women, though they tend to take on the lion’s share of childcare and household duties. Offering a few pieces of advice that has guided her over the years, she says:

Choose the right environment. Look around at the leaders in your organisation. If there aren’t women in senior roles, it may speak volumes about the firm’s leaders and culture.

Prioritise what’s most important. When my children were very young, I was travelling frequently in a job I loved, but ultimately opted for a role that would allow me to spend most nights at home.

Be vocal about your priorities outside of work. As I became more established in my career, I realized just how important it was to share more about my life outside of work and that my top priority was my family.

Refill your cup and ask for help. You don’t need to be a superhero. Speak up if you need help and invest in your mental health and overall wellness.

Stay in the game. It can be so tempting to put your career aside, especially when raising young children. But here is what I learned: it does get easier over the years. Staying in the game doesn’t mean committing to endless hours of work, but it helps over the long-term to continue gaining valuable skills and work experiences.