Another Citi shakeup: Behind Dial’s departure

    by Patricia Sellers

    Terri Dial, Citigroup’s (C) CEO of consumer banking for North America, is out.

    It’s hardly a surprise at a company where the drama (to mimic Citi ads) never sleeps.

    But beyond the everlasting turmoil at Citi–which is still under the thumb of the government, with a stock selling below $4–there is the fact that Dial never found her power base at the bank. Recruited by CEO Vikram Pandit from Lloyds TSB (LYG) in London two years ago, Dial, 60, was hardly embraced by Citi’s senior folks, many of whom viewed her as abrasive. A California native, Dial was quite strong-willed and stubborn–such a force that back in England, she was nicknamed “the human cyclone.”

    Last year, as her influence inside Citi waned–and as Citi’s troubles mounted–Fortune removed Dial from its 2009 Most Powerful Women list. She was No. 47 in the rankings in 2008.

    Given all this, Dial’s departure, at some point, was in the cards. Though a personal situation hastened the move this week. Dial’s husband, who is older than she, has been very ill for months. He was due to have surgery today.

    Meanwhile, moving up at Citi: Manuel Medina-Mora, who has been CEO of Citi Latin America and Mexico. He ascends to CEO of Citi Consumer Banking for the Americas and chairman of Citi’s Global Consumer Council.