Santander US has announced a significant leadership transition as Tim Wennes steps down as CEO and country lead, with Christiana Riley, the current regional head of North America, set to assume the role. The change was officially confirmed by Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander, in a recent LinkedIn post.
Ana Botín praised Tim Wennes for his “outstanding job in transforming Santander US and laying the foundations for continued growth and success.” Wennes, who has served as CEO and country head of Santander US since 2019—as well as President and CEO of Santander Bank NA—has been a key figure in the bank’s evolution, having previously held positions at MUFG Union Bank and serving on multiple boards, including Santander Holdings USA and Santander Consumer USA Holdings.
Christiana Riley, who has overseen Santander’s operations in Mexico and the US since joining the bank in 2023, is well-positioned to lead the next phase of growth in this critical market. Prior to her current role, Riley spent 17 years as a member of Deutsche Bank’s management board and held several leadership positions across Europe and the Americas. Botín expressed strong confidence in her ability to drive continued success for Santander US.
In addition to the US leadership changes, Ana Botín’s post also revealed that Roman Blanco Reinosa will step down as CEO and country head of Santander Chile, with Andres Trautmann Buc, the current head of corporate and investment banking for the division, slated to succeed him. Furthermore, William Vereker recently announced his decision to step down as board chair of Santander UK, effective during 2025.
These leadership adjustments highlight Santander’s commitment to evolving its global operations and positioning its regional units for sustained growth and innovation in an increasingly competitive financial landscape.
