Investing.com -- A former director at Nubank, the Brazilian digital bank, recently shared insights into the company’s customer-centric culture and global strategy, drawing a stark contrast with the centralized operations of Citibank.

The director, in a conversation with In Practise, emphasized Nubank’s aggressive aspirations, including a goal to achieve a $100 billion valuation and become one of the most influential companies globally. He indicated that Nubank’s core values, defined over a decade ago as "casinha" or "little house," continue to guide the company. These values, which prioritize customer needs, influence all decision-making processes at Nubank.

Unlike other companies that claim to be customer-centric, Nubank has demonstrated a genuine focus on its customers, developing and maintaining products based on customer needs, even when they are not immediately profitable.

The former director also discussed Nubank’s "platformization" strategy, which involves using a global FICO license and a decision engine strategyware. This approach allows Nubank to adapt to the specific needs and idiosyncrasies of different countries, a contrast to Citibank’s centralized operations.

Citibank, according to the director, has struggled with consumer banking due to its centralized model. The bank’s operations in places like Singapore and the U.S. have found it challenging to adapt to local nuances, which are crucial in consumer banking. This difficulty in adapting has led to Citibank’s lack of success on the consumer side, while its corporate side remains more stable, operating similarly across its global branches in the U.S., U.K., and Asia, including Hong Kong.

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