hr influencer
Workplace culture carrier
By Lisa Gordon
These days, it’s rare to stay with the same company for 25 years.
But Christine Discola has never grown tired of working at the
Canadian branch of Citigroup Inc., the global banking and
financial services organization where her human resources career
was founded and has flourished ever since.
Today, Discola is director and country human resources officer for
Citigroup Canada, responsible for leading the HR function for Citi’s
3,000 Canadian employees and all of the organization’s business lines.
HR Professional sat down with Discola to discuss the evolution of
her career, a few of the challenges she’s experienced along the way and
the importance of defining a personal brand.
When did you decide you wanted a career in human resources?
Christine Discola: When I started at Citi, HR was not initially on my
radar screen. I was studying economics and sociology at the University
of Toronto, and labour relations intrigued me a lot. I started working
in customer service at Citi supporting our Investor Finance Group
while I was still at school, and I remember admiring the individuals
working in HR and became interested in learning more. I applied for
a job as a compensation analyst but didn’t get it; however, I must have
made a positive impression because they did call me again. I haven’t
looked back!
What was your first HR job?
CD: My first job in HR was an HR assistant role at the front desk. I
interacted with staff; it provided me with great exposure to the business.
We were revamping a number of policies at the time, and I had
the opportunity to start from the building blocks. It was a great starting
point for me.
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ july/august 2015 ❚ 43
