Santander UK appoints Mahesh Aditya as new CEO to drive growth
Santander UK has named Mahesh Aditya as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will take charge of both Santander UK Group Holdings and Santander UK from 1 March. The appointment follows a decision by the bank's boards on 1 October 2025.
Aditya brings over 30 years of experience in financial services to the role. His career includes positions at major institutions such as Citi, JPMorgan Chase, and Capital One. More recently, he spent six years at Santander in the US, first as Chief Risk Officer and later as CEO of Santander Consumer USA from 2019 to 2023.
Before this appointment, Aditya served as Group Chief Risk Officer for Banco Santander since 2023. He has described joining Santander UK as a significant opportunity, especially given the bank's growth since its UK entry in 2004. That year, it acquired Abbey National, expanding its market share from around 4% to roughly 6-7% by 2025.
Santander UK now ranks as the fourth or fifth largest bank in the UK by assets, holding over ÂŁ300 billion. It serves around 15 million customers, though it remains behind the 'Big Four'âHSBC, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, and NatWestâin mortgage and current account shares. Aditya highlighted the acquisition of TSB and the group's ongoing investment in the UK as key factors in his decision to take the role.
Aditya's leadership will begin on 1 March, overseeing a bank that has steadily grown its presence in the UK. His background in risk management and consumer banking will likely shape Santander UK's strategy in the coming years. The bank continues to build on its position as one of the country's largest financial institutions.
