Citi deepens Asia infrastructure push with senior banking hire

Insider Spotlight

• Citi appoints Bhavin Shukla as Head of Infrastructure Investment Banking for JANA & Asia South
• Bank says move reflects long-term commitment to building a market-leading infrastructure franchise
• Appointment comes amid what Citi described as an “infrastructure super cycle” across Asia-Pacific
• Focus areas include energy transition, digital infrastructure, urbanization, and private capital deployment
  
  
  

Citi has appointed veteran banker Bhavin Shukla as managing director and head of infrastructure investment banking for JANA and Asia South, signaling the bank’s intensified push to position itself as a strategic player in the region’s infrastructure boom.

The move underscores Citi’s broader ambition to deepen its infrastructure advisory and financing capabilities across Asia-Pacific as governments, corporates, and investors ramp up spending on large-scale development projects.

Bhavin will serve as Citi’s regional lead for infrastructure-related advisory, financing, and origination, working closely with the bank’s Financial and Strategic Investors Group, Natural Resources, and Real Estate teams.

 Bhavin Shukla

CITI head of infrastructure investment banking for JANA & Asia south

Why it matters

Asia is entering what Citi described as an “infrastructure super cycle,” fueled by accelerating investments in renewable energy, digital infrastructure, urbanization, and growing private capital flows into long-term assets.

The appointment reflects Citi’s strategy to capture a larger share of the financing and advisory opportunities emerging from this wave of infrastructure spending.

“This appointment reflects Citi’s deliberate and long-term commitment to further build a market-leading Infrastructure Investment Banking franchise across Asia-Pacific and globally,” the bank said.

Industry context

Global banks have been increasingly expanding their infrastructure banking operations as institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds pour capital into energy transition projects, data centers, transport systems, and utilities.

For Citi, the hire also strengthens its competitive positioning against rivals aggressively building infrastructure-focused investment banking teams in Asia.

Bhavin joins Citi from J.P. Morgan, where he served as Managing Director and held concurrent roles as Head of Asia Infrastructure Investors Coverage excluding Australia, and Head of India Infrastructure Investment Banking.

Track record

At J.P. Morgan, Bhavin led infrastructure coverage across advisory, financing, and hedging for major infrastructure funds, sovereign wealth funds, and corporate clients in the region.

Citi said his experience across investor coverage and complex infrastructure transactions aligns with the bank’s plans to further scale its regional franchise amid rising demand for capital and strategic advisory services tied to Asia’s infrastructure expansion. —Ramon C. Nocon | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma