The news: Citi Wealth is collaborating with BlackRock to create a customized portfolio offering for its clients, per a press release. The new offering is scheduled to launch in Q4 2025 pending regulatory approval. Our take: Citi is leveraging BlackRock's scale and expertise to focus on its core strength: personalized, high-level advisory services. This is part of CEO Jane Fraser’s broader strategy to streamline operations and boost profitability in Citi's wealth management division. In addition, this move highlights the opportunities that partnerships create. In this case it allows Citi to offer more personalized services through a new platform as well as through the more efficient personalized guidance of experts. This follows the bank’s recent deployment of two new AI solutions that will supercharge client communications.

Both perceived customer demand as well as internal demands for accountability and measurability are driving personalization efforts. This report explores how marketers are using data to optimize omnichannel experiences for consumers, and what consumers think of these personalization efforts.