AP Photos: Corbat Latest in Line of Citigroup CEOs As Michael Corbat prepares to take the helm as chief executive officer of Citigroup, he follows in the footsteps of leaders who have kept the bank afloat for 200 years. Samuel Osgood was the first to oversee the fledgling institution when it was founded to help the U.S. cover debts after the War of 1812. This undated image provided by the Libary of Congress shows Samuel Osgood. In 1812 Osgood was elected the first president of the newly formed City Bank of New York, which later became Citibank, and then Citigroup. Citigroup announced on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, that Michael Corbat will take over the bank that got its first big break by helping the U.S. cover debts after the War of 1812. (AP Photo/Library Congress) Close Osgood was followed by William Few as the president of the City Bank of New York, which is known today as Citigroup. The men who followed him led the bank through major innovations from its experimentation with rudimentary ATMs in 1939 through its 1998 merger with Travelers Group. The bank is still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis that nearly led to its collapse. Here's a look at some of the faces of the company's chief executives.