Spanish nationality. Born in 1960 in Santander. She joined the board of directors in 1989 and she was appointed Executive Chairman in 2014. Graduate in Economics from the University Bryn Mawr College (Pennsylvania, USA). She joined Banco Santander after a period at JP Morgan (New York, 1980-1988) and in 1992 she was appointed senior executive vice president. Between 1992 and 1998 she led the expansion of Santander in Latin America. From 2002 to 2010 she was executive chairman of Banesto, such entity being commended as the Best Bank in Spain by Euromoney for three consecutive years during that period. From 2010-2014 she was CEO of Santander UK, where she led the transformation of three former building societies into one of Britain’s most innovative banks. Since 2014 she has led a cultural, commercial and technological transformation of the Group, focused on boosting customer trust and loyalty. Under her leadership, Santander has established a clear purpose: to help people and businesses prosper in a way that is simple, personal and fair. The Group is committed to acting responsibly on behalf of its employees, customers, shareholders and the communities where it operates. Her commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth is reflected in her philanthropic activities. She is the founder and Chair of CyD Foundation, which supports and promotes the contribution made by Spanish universities to economic and social development in the country, and Empieza por Educar Foundation, the Spanish subsidiary of the international NGO Teach for All which trains talented young graduates to be teachers. Other relevant positions: she is a Board member of the Coca-Cola Company and a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) CEO Advisory Board.