Citigroup chief Sandy Weill romances India, to remarry in Agra
Our Mumbai Bureau
5 NOVEMBER
HE CAME, he saw and he remarried. And this is one wedding party Citibankers in India are likely to remember for a long time to come. In short, it has been billed as the wedding of the season. And now, the details. The groom is about 66-years-young. And, balding. But that is more than made up by one overwhelming qualification: he happens to be the chairman and co-CEO of Citigroup, the global financial powerhouse with $10 bn in profits.
So, who's the lucky woman? Sanford ('Sandy') I Weill will be "remarrying" his wife Joan in traditional Indian style in the world's most romantic city - Agra, home to the Taj Mahal.
And, don't snigger. This is serious stuff - Nanoo Pamnani, Citibank's chief executive officer for India, will be "giving away the bride".
The "wedding" - to take place on Saturday night, to the accompaniment of shlokas - has been rehearsed to make the global chief comfortable in a dhoti at the long ceremony.
While senior Citibankers in the country will join the baaraat to Agra (they all took the Friday evening flight to Delhi), some of Weill's friends are also expected to fly in from Europe to be present at the shastiapthapurti event. Weill has also friends from New York HQ close at hand ? Victor J Menezes, pre-sident of Citibank NA, has flown in with Sandy in his private jet.
There is a tradition among some Hindu grooms in certain parts of India to "remarry" their wives after reaching the age of 60 and again at 80.
But, if Weill is to be believed, he will be the underdog at the event. "My marriage is the only 26 per cent joint venture that's been successful. And, I hold the 26 per cent in it," he told the press.
Sandy and Joan have two children and four grandchildren.
True to Indian style, both the groom and bride had separate lunches at the Taj in Mumbai on Friday. While Mr Weill took on the Citibank top-brass in India along with Victor J Menezes at a power lunch - ostensibly to discuss the bank-s future strategies - Joan was chief guest to a ladies lunch hosted by Citibankers of the fairer sex and better-halves of Citimales. |
