As Northern Ireland’s largest financial services organisation rolls out generative AI (Gen AI) tools to thousands of employees globally, its membership with Software NI marks a timely boost to the region’s growing tech ambitions.
Wednesday 25th June 2025: Software NI, the collective voice for the software industry in Northern Ireland, announced today that global financial services leader Citi has joined its growing membership of 130 local organisations, marking another significant milestone in Software NI’s mission for the region to become a world-leading hub for software innovation.
With a large tech-focused workforce in Northern Ireland – comprising of more than 1,500 Belfast-based technology roles, Citi brings critical local and global perspective and technological expertise to Software NI’s vision for a prosperous, digitally driven economic future.
Software NI’s goal, dubbed “50 and 5 by 35,” is to double the software jobs footprint in Northern Ireland to 50,000 by the year 2035, with an estimated contribution of £5 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the local economy. The addition of Citi to its membership aligns strongly with this vision, particularly given Citi’s investment in next-generation technologies and the role the Belfast team has played in this initiative globally.
“Citi is a phenomenal addition to our membership” said Neil Hutcheson, Chief Executive of Software NI
“Citi is not only one of the largest employers in Northern Ireland, but a global technology leader actively shaping the future of how the industry operates. The recent launch of generative AI tools across their global workforce underlines a commitment to innovation and remaining at the forefront. Their presence in our membership strengthens our collective voice in influencing policy, supporting strategy, and accelerating the development of the software industry in Northern Ireland. It underlines our commitment to ensuring companies large and small, global and indigenous, work together for the greater good.”
Citi recently launched generative AI (Gen AI) tools to thousands of employees, empowering teams to make faster decisions, streamline repetitive tasks, and boost overall productivity – while maintaining robust risk governance. These tools are being rolled out in a thoughtful, measured way that reflects Citi’s global standards of security and innovation.
“Joining Software NI is an exciting step for us,” said Carla McGlynn, Managing Director leading global teams at Citi and Tech Site Lead for Citi Belfast
“We’re proud of the significant tech footprint we’ve built in Belfast and see strong alignment between our goals and Software NI’s mission. As we continue to scale technologies like generative AI across our global business, we look forward to collaborating with other members to help position Northern Ireland at the forefront of the digital landscape and economic opportunity.”
As the voice of the software industry in the region, Software NI continues to build momentum by bringing together key stakeholders from private industry, education, and government. With Citi’s addition, the organisation is better equipped than ever to drive forward its ambitious plans for growth, innovation, and a prosperous economic future for Northern Ireland.
