About Me
Curtiss Jacobs is the Head of Product Risk Governance at Citibank, the consumer division of financial services multinational Citigroup with over 2,600 branches in 19 countries, this is his second stint at the global banking giant. Prior to rejoining Citigroup, Curtiss was the co-founder and Managing Partner of Uptown Advisory Group LLC (UAG), a boutique managing consultancy based in NYC.
Curtiss has spent 25 years working in the financial services sector, holding a number of senior leadership roles driving global change and transformation efforts at organizations such as AIG, Pitney Bowes, the Bank of America. Over the course of his career, he has developed and implemented transformation strategies that have improved growth, organizational efficiency and effectiveness, while mitigating risk globally, leading to over $3B in financial impact.
Prior to beginning his career on Wall Street, Curtiss was a successful fashion and celebrity photographer, honing his skills while working as a full time assistant under legendary photographers Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz. Curtiss continued his commitment to the arts in 2009 by opening the doors to Renaissance Fine Art of Harlem (since rebranded Curtiss Jacobs Gallery), with a mission of providing exhibition and curatorial opportunities to those from underserved communities.
Curtiss has demonstrated a commitment to service, having recently completing a three year term as Nationally elected board director, One Hundred Black Men of America, a half-century old mentoring and leadership development organization supporting underserved communities across the U.S., UK and the Caribbean. He is also the past board chairman of World of Money, a not for profit whose mission is to empower youth with a sound financial education in the New York City Tri-State area, and a board advisor for Project Art a not for profit empowering youth, emerging artists, and communities through partnerships with public libraries in eight cities from coast to coast.
Curtiss earned a BS in Management and Communications from Adelphi University, where he now serves on the President’s Advisory Council. He holds an MBA in International Business from Northeastern University in Boston.
Curtiss is an executive coach, public speaker, and lecturer on corporate career navigation, entrepreneurship, matters of equity, diversity and inclusion.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
My life’s mission…….
As a provocative thought leader, I am committed to effecting change through collaborative conversations, and strategic execution of strategies that address institutional challenges, and structural harm.
Standing on the shoulders of those who have come before me, my timeless mission is to disrupt non-productive norms, to advance present and future generations by bringing them into dynamic spaces of empowerment and inspiring them to live their best life.........
