Ignacio Juliá has been named as the new CEO of Santander Spain replacing the outgoing Ángel Rivera from 1 October 2024.
The former ING CEO for Spain and Portugal will seek to make an immediate impact in his new role in transforming Santander Spain’s business model to provide better customer service and generate further growth.
Juliá played a pivotal role in ING’s progression as Spain’s first digital bank back in 1999. He served as CEO for both Spain and Portugal since 2021, where he also held previous roles as Chief Financial and Risk Officer and Head of Retail Business.
During his tenure at ING, he helped spearhead changes to move from a product-oriented bank to a customer-centric organisation through digital channels. Beyond his career in Spain, Juliá also developed a career in Poland, where he led the retail banking business.
Rivera, who will remain at the bank until the end of the year to support the transition, leaves the group after more than 30 years in the financial sector.
Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander, commented: “We are delighted to announce the incorporation of Ignacio Juliá as CEO of Santander Spain.
“He is a young professional, with great experience in transformation projects similar to our own. I am convinced that his experience and profile will help us accelerate implementation of global platforms and boost the growth of Santander Spain.
“I would like to thank Ángel Rivera for his contribution to the group and for his leadership in Santander Spain. I would like to thank Rivera for his contribution to the group and for his leadership in Santander.”
