Ana Botín runs Santander like an Olympic athlete, outpacing U.S. banking giants

In an extensive interview, Ana Botín, who succeeded her father Emilio at Santander in 2014, outlines how the Spanish lender now serves more than 170 million clients, surpassing the customer bases of JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. Santander posted €12.6 billion in profit last year, a 14 percent increase, and announced a €10 billion share-buyback programme, while its market value exceeded €100 billion, the first EU bank to do so in ten years.

Botín credits the surge to a focus on digital banking, higher interest rates after COVID-19, robust retail spending and a thriving U.S. investment-banking division. She emphasizes the importance of AI, regulatory reform and a "sense of urgency" when managing a 200,000-person organization, likening the challenge to reshaping a government. Outside the boardroom, Botín follows a disciplined routine that includes early-morning cardio, a strict email curfew after 7:30 p.m., and uses wearables like the Oura Ring to monitor health. She cites family support, especially from her mother Paloma O’Shea and husband Guillermo Morenés, as essential to balancing her demanding career.