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Meet our leadership team.

Santander Bank, N.A. Management

Meet our leaders—the inspired individuals who direct, support, and empower our 9,800 colleagues to carry out our mission of providing you with easy–to–use banking products and services. While their personal stories reflect a variety of backgrounds, skills, and experiences, our leaders all share a collective passion for helping our customers and communities make progress.
Tim Wennes headshot

Timothy H. Wennes

Santander US CEO and Country Head President and Chief Executive Officer, Santander Bank, N.A.

Tim Wennes is the Santander US Chief Executive Officer and Country Head, as well as President and Chief Executive Officer of Santander Bank, N.A. (SBNA). He is responsible for establishing and executing Santander US’s long-range plans and growth strategies, and in SBNA he has direct oversight for all consumer, business, corporate and commercial banking functions. He is a member of the SHUSA and SBNA Boards of Directors.

Tim joined Santander as President and CEO in September 2019, and was named Santander US CEO in December 2019. He has 30 years of experience in banking, and most recently served as West Coast President and Head of the Regional Bank at MUFG Union Bank where he had oversight of Commercial Banking, Real Estate Industries, Consumer Banking and Wealth Management. He was also responsible for the bank’s Enterprise Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility programs.

Tim is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He also holds an MBA in International Business from California State University Fullerton.

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Patrick D. Smith

Head of Consumer & Business Banking
Santander Bank, N.A.

Patrick Smith leads Consumer & Business Banking at Santander Bank, N.A., and is a member of the U.S. leadership team. He is responsible for driving the strategy for Santander’s network of over 400 branches and 1,200 ATMs, small business banking, corporate & social responsibility, digital, retail operations, and investments. He brings a combination of banking experience and customer focus that position him for success as he leads the execution of Santander’s Consumer & Business Banking strategy.

Prior to joining Santander in 2020, Patrick served as executive vice president and Head of Commercial Digital at KeyBank, as well as a member of the company’s executive council. Over his nearly 30-year career in financial services, Patrick held a variety of leadership positions at Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Capital One. Previously, he also worked in Accenture’s strategy practice servicing clients globally.

Patrick received an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, an MS in IT Management from the University of Virginia, and a BS in Finance from Tuskegee University. 

Currently, Patrick serves on the boards of BDC Capital and Boeing Employee Credit Union.

Michael Lee

Michael Lee

Managing Director of Commercial Real Estate Banking

Michael A. Lee is responsible for the Bank's commercial real estate strategy that includes a $17 Billion loan portfolio as well as the management of a $3 Billion serviced portfolio.

Mike joined Santander in 2009 and has been employed in the financial services industry for over three decades. He has spent the majority of his career in lending and risk roles. Previously, he held positions with Bank Boston, FleetBoston and Sovereign Bank.

Mike received his accounting and Master of Business Administration degrees from Providence College, and he remains active with the college as a member of the Providence College President's Council. Mike served as a board member of the Metro Boston Housing Partners and the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation. He and his wife are past chairs of the Rhode Island Governor's Ball and Children's Hospital Ball. Today, Mike serves as a board member of the Providence Chamber of Commerce, Rhode Island Bankers Association, Massachusetts Bankers Association, and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable.

Marco Antonio Achón

Marco Antonio Achón

Co-Head Santander Corporate & Investment Banking US, General Manager Banco Santander, S.A., New York Branch

Marco Antonio Achón is Co-Head of Santander Corporate & Investment Banking US, and General Manager of Banco Santander, S.A. New York Branch.

He joined Santander US in October 2017 after serving as Global Head of Financial Solutions & Advisory (FSA) in Madrid. Marco has held various roles with Santander Group since 2005, including Global Head of Loan Markets, European Head of Credit Markets, and European Head of Corporate & Investment Banking.

Marco brings with him more than two decades of experience with large U.S. and international financial institutions. Prior to joining Santander, Marco served as Head of Debt Capital Markets and Loan Syndications for the Americas for BBVA Securities, Inc. in New York and Vice President of the Latin America Group at Argentaria.

Marco has a BA in business administration and a BA in law from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain. He also received an MBA from Columbia University in New York.

He holds Board memberships at AS/COA, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, YPO NYC Chapter, and Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce where he serves as President since Sept. 2020. He is also a member of the Colin Powell School Board of Visitors, and of the Economic Club of New York.