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How Balance Sheet Optimization and Data Discipline Are Shaping Treasury Strategy
Jie Hua of SNBC and Mike Soccio of Citizens discuss the strategic and operational imperatives behind integrated balance sheet optimization. Emphasizing the role of data governance, funds transfer pricing, and capital allocation, they stress the need for company-wide alignment and strong committee structures to enhance financial performance.
Jun 30, 2025
Jie Hua
Jie Hua, MD & GM; Head of Corporate Treasury Department, Americas Division & CUSO Treasurer/Co-Treasurer, SMBC Group
Michael Soccio
Michael Soccio, Treasurer, Citizens
Tags: ALM, Treasury and Liquidity Risk
The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the thought leader as an individual and are not attributed to CeFPro or any other organization

In an era of rising complexity, integrated balance sheet optimization is emerging as a core priority for treasury leaders.

Mike Soccio underscores the need for strong methodologies in funds transfer pricing and capital allocation, combined with cross-functional collaboration and senior leadership buy-in. Proper alignment across business lines ensures that both existing portfolios and new business meet return-on-capital thresholds—ultimately enhancing shareholder value.

Jie Hua complements this view by stressing the foundational role of data. Drawing on years of regulatory remediation, she emphasizes that without strong data governance and architecture—especially in areas like interest rate risk and maturity dates—balance sheet models risk being flawed.

For smaller banks or foreign banking organizations lacking centralized data warehouses, this challenge is even greater.

Jie Hua Bio

Jie Hua is to MD&GM; Head of Corporate Treasury Department, Americas Division (CTDAD) and CUSO Treasurer/Co-Treasurer for SMBC Group in the Americas. Jie is primarily responsible for Corporate Treasury to establish and enhance AD’s ALM, liquidity management, and capital management capabilities. Prior to joining SMBC, Jie worked in Citigroup Corporate Treasury, building out its global Funds Transfer Pricing system and led its implementationinNorthAmerica,EMEAandAPAC. Beforethat,Jieled Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) and Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) teams at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and the related engagement with the Federal Reserve Board. Prior to RBC, she held various senior roles in Treasury Liquidity, FTP and ALM, Balance Sheet Optimization, and Financial Planning &Analysis at Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch. Jie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from University of Chicago and a Master degree of Business Administration in finance from University of Chicago.

Jie Hua
Michael Soccio Bio

Michael is Executive Vice President and Treasurer at Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Michael manages the risks inherent in balance sheet positions and off-balance-sheet commitments that are created by Citizens’ core business activities. With more than 20 years of Treasury and market risk experience, he oversees the Treasury teams that manage liquidity and interest rate risk (IRR); CBNA’s investment and hedging portfolios; and ensures capital adequacy for both planned and stressed environments. Consistent with these risk management disciplines Treasury also formulates Funds Transfer Pricing (FTP) and Economic Capital (EC) methodologies to support business-specific, risk-based pricing and returns. In addition, Treasury is a primary contributor and facilitator of key governance and leadership forums, including the Asset-Liability Committee (ALCO), the Deposit Strategy Committee (DSC) and the Balance Sheet Optimization Steering Committee (BSO). Michael joined the bank in September 2017 and is a member of the Citizens Executive Leadership Group, for the company’s top 130 executives who drive the direction of Citizens Bank. Prior to being named Treasurer he was Deputy Treasurer and Director of the ALM team within Treasury and Balance Sheet Strategies responsible for the management of CFG's interest rate risk position, Debt Capital Markets, FTP methodologies, investment portfolio management & hedging of MSR and IRR risks. He was also responsible for PPNR model development with a focus on prepayment and deposit models. Before joining Citizens Michael was Managing Director, Treasury Market Risk for GE Capital from 2011 to 2017. This role assumed responsibility for interest rate and foreign exchange risk for over $300B of assets over 7 diverse business units. This included oversight of both of GE Capital’s banking platforms, which would eventually become Synchrony Financial and Marcus by Goldman Sachs. Prior to GE Capital, Michael was Head of Balance Sheet Modeling at Union Bank, responsible for the measurement and modeling of interest rate risk and the development of hedge and portfolio strategies. He is a CFA charter holder, FRM charter holder, and he holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Villanova University and a BA with a concentration in Finance from the University of Delaware. Michael enjoys snowboarding and collecting vinyl records and lives in Wilton, CT with his wife of 23 years and two daughters, ages 16 and 13.

Michael Soccio
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