Santander Appoints Jesse O. Villarreal, Jr. as Executive Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy Director in U.S.

BOSTON, April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Holdings USA, Inc. and Sovereign Bank, N.A., wholly owned subsidiaries of Banco Santander, announced the appointment of Jesse O. Villarreal, Jr. as Executive Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy Director.  In this role, Villarreal will lead Santander's government relations and industry public policy efforts in the U.S.  Villarreal will be located at Santander's U.S. headquarters in Boston and will report to Chief of Staff, Carlos Garcia.

"Earlier this year we converted from a thrift to a national bank, setting the stage for our future growth.  This important milestone, in combination with our continuous enhancement of our leadership team is moving us forward as an organization.  I am pleased to welcome Jesse to Sovereign-Santander," said Jorge Moran, Santander US Country Head and Sovereign Bank President and CEO.  "Jesse's extensive experience in the public sector working on banking and financial issues is a great addition to shaping the Bank's public policy positions and regulatory framework to continue the successful implementation of our growth plan."

Prior to joining Santander, Villarreal served more than ten years in various capacities in the United States federal government, including positions at the Department of the Treasury, the White House and at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  Villarreal served for nearly five years as Chief of Staff to former FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair where he played a significant part in the FDIC leadership team as it developed responses to the recent global economic crisis.  Most recently, Villarreal served as Senior Advisor to Acting FDIC Chairman, Martin J. Gruenberg, where he assisted in the agency's transition from former FDIC Chairman, Sheila Bair.  While at the FDIC, he was involved in all areas of agency policy and operations and brought a unique and valued perspective to the FDIC.

In addition to his public service experience, Villarreal has held leadership positions in the financial services industry at JPMorgan Chase and Texas Commerce Bank/Chase Manhattan.

Villarreal holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and has been listed on Hispanic Business Magazine's Top 100 Influentials list.

About Santander Holdings USA, Sovereign Bank and Banco Santander
Santander Holdings USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, S.A., and parent company of Sovereign Bank, N.A. and Santander Consumer USA. Banco Santander is a retail and commercial bank, headquartered in Spain, with a presence in 10 main markets: Spain, Portugal, Germany, the UK, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and the U.S.  Founded in 1857, Santander has 102 million customers, approximately 14,700 branches – more than any other international bank – and more than 193,000 employees.  For more information on Santander, visit http://www.santander.com.

Sovereign Bank, N.A. is a financial institution with principal markets in the northeastern United States. Sovereign has more than 700 branches, nearly 2,300 ATMs, and approximately 8,500 team members.  For more information on Sovereign Bank, visit http://www.sovereignbank.com or call 877-SOV-BANK.

SOURCE Santander Holdings USA, Inc.; Sovereign Bank, N.A.