Head of Small Business
Citizens Bank
Patrick L. Cristino is Head of Small Business at Citizens, where he leads a team that partners closely with the Retail organization to drive business banking growth. His work is focused on client acquisition, onboarding, deepening relationships, increasing primary banking engagement, and reducing client attrition.
Since joining Citizens in 2003 as a Branch Manager, Patrick has built a broad and impactful career across the organization. He has held several senior leadership roles, including Regional Manager, District Manager, and Retail Director for New England, where he oversaw 180 branches and more than 1,100 colleagues. In his role as National Sales Director for Retail, Patrick led a team of 13 sales managers across the footprint and played a key role in shaping the strategy and execution of retail banking.
Patrick brings deep expertise in strategic planning, sales leadership, and digital transformation, with a strong track record of driving performance and building high-performing teams.
A graduate of the Consumer Banking Association’s Executive Banking School in 2018, Patrick now serves as a faculty member, where he shares his leadership experience and industry insights with the next generation of banking professionals.
The gap between what small businesses want from their bank and what most deliver has never been wider—or more critical. They want transparency around finances, tailored guidance, and access to capital. Yet many banks fail to deliver these, opening the door for small businesses to turn to fintech rivals.This session explores the latest on small business owner attitudes, expectations, and banking behaviors that provide a data-driven picture of where the market segment is headed. Industry leaders will examine what small business owners most want—instant credit decisions, proactive fraud protection, seamless payments, and genuine advisory support—and why so few banks are consistently delivering it. The discussion will address the specific changes in product design, service model, and digital experience that will determine who wins and who loses the small business relationship.