Hector Grisi

Héctor Grisi Checa
Birthplace	Mexico
Nationality	Mexican
Occupation	Banking executive
Title	Group Chief Executive Officer, Banco Santander
Employer	Banco Santander
Known for	Group CEO of Banco Santander
Website	[www.santander.com Official site]

Héctor Grisi Checa is a Mexican banking executive who serves as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Banco Santander, one of the largest financial institutions in the world. Appointed to the role effective 1 January 2023, Grisi succeeded José Antonio Álvarez after a transition period following his nomination in June 2022. Before assuming the group CEO position, Grisi built a long career within the Santander organization, most notably leading the bank's operations in Mexico as Chairman and CEO of Grupo Financiero Santander México. A former investment banker by training, Grisi has been described as a figure who emphasizes teamwork and collaboration in his leadership approach. Under his leadership as group CEO, Banco Santander has reported record profits and pursued a strategy centered on customer-focused banking, digital transformation, and growth across its global markets.

Early Life

Héctor Grisi Checa was born in Mexico. Details regarding his precise date of birth and early family background have not been widely documented in public sources. He is of Mexican nationality and grew up to pursue a career in the financial services industry. Prior to entering the banking sector, Grisi developed interests and skills that would later define his executive career, including a background in investment banking.

Career

Investment Banking Background

Before joining the Santander organization, Héctor Grisi built his professional foundation in investment banking. This experience provided him with extensive knowledge of capital markets, corporate finance, and financial advisory work. His background as a former investment banker was noted at the time of his appointment as Group CEO, with media reports highlighting that his experience across different segments of the financial industry contributed to his selection for the top role at one of Europe's largest banks.

Leadership at Santander México

Grisi rose to prominence within the Santander group through his leadership of the bank's Mexican operations. He served as Chairman and CEO of Grupo Financiero Santander México, S.A.B. de C.V., the Mexican subsidiary of Banco Santander. The Mexican unit is a major banking group in its own right, providing retail and corporate banking services from its headquarters at 500 Avenida Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma, Colonia Lomas de Santa Fe, in the Álvaro Obregón borough of Mexico City.

Santander México is publicly traded, with listings on both the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) under the ticker BSMX and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) also under the ticker BSMX. The parent company, Banco Santander, holds approximately 74.97% of Santander México.

During his tenure leading the Mexican subsidiary, Grisi oversaw the bank's retail and corporate banking operations across the country, managing one of the largest financial institutions in the Mexican market. His track record at Santander México was instrumental in his later elevation to the group-level leadership role.

Appointment as Group CEO of Banco Santander

On 17 June 2022, Banco Santander announced that Héctor Grisi had been nominated to succeed José Antonio Álvarez as Group Chief Executive Officer. The announcement specified that Grisi would assume the CEO role on 1 January 2023, following a transition period and subject to customary regulatory approvals.

The appointment was reported widely in the financial press. Reuters described Grisi as a "calm insider" selected to "help build bridges" within the Santander organization, noting his background as a former investment banker and his reputation for bringing teams together. PYMNTS.com reported the appointment in the context of Santander's ongoing digital transformation efforts, noting that the selection of Grisi came as the bank continued to advance its technology-driven strategy.

The transition from Álvarez to Grisi represented a significant moment for Banco Santander. Grisi's selection was interpreted as a move to elevate a leader with deep operational experience in one of the bank's key markets in the Americas, while also maintaining continuity within the group's senior management structure. Working alongside Executive Chairman Ana Botín, Grisi was expected to help drive the bank's strategy across its operations spanning Europe, the Americas, and other markets.

Tenure as Group CEO

Since assuming the role of Group CEO on 1 January 2023, Grisi has led Banco Santander through a period of strong financial performance. In 2023, the bank reported its highest-ever annual profit, a result that was noted in the context of compensation disclosures showing that Executive Chairman Ana Botín earned €12.2 million for that year, a 4.3% increase.

In October 2024, Grisi publicly outlined his strategic ambitions for the bank, stating that he was aiming for "forceful growth" in the coming years. This strategy was articulated even as the global banking sector faced the prospect of declining interest rates, which typically compress net interest margins for banks. Grisi's emphasis on growth despite this headwind signaled a commitment to expanding the bank's revenue through diversified income streams and operational efficiency.

By mid-2025, the bank continued to report record-breaking results. In the first half of 2025, Santander once again surpassed its previous profit records. During this period, the bank also pursued strategic acquisitions, including the acquisition of TSB, the British subsidiary of Banc Sabadell. Santander characterized the TSB acquisition as "a perfect fit" for its operations, with the deal reflecting the bank's ambitions to strengthen its presence in the United Kingdom banking market under Grisi's leadership.

Strategic Focus and Leadership Style

Grisi's leadership approach as Group CEO has been characterized by a focus on customer-centric banking and practical transformation. Under his direction, Banco Santander has pursued a strategy that combines digital innovation with a strong emphasis on customer experience and operational simplification.

In November 2025, Grisi participated in the Santander International Banking Conference, where he sat down with James Harding, Editor-in-Chief of The Observer, to discuss economic competitiveness and the role of financial institutions in strengthening it. The panel, titled "Strengthening Financial Competitiveness," reflected Grisi's engagement with broader economic and policy issues beyond the day-to-day management of the bank.

Grisi's leadership style was noted by Reuters at the time of his appointment as one that emphasizes collaboration and bridge-building within complex organizations. As Group CEO, he has been responsible for coordinating the bank's operations across multiple geographies, including major markets in Spain, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, and other countries in Europe and Latin America.

The digital transformation of Banco Santander has been an ongoing priority during Grisi's tenure. At the time of his appointment, PYMNTS.com noted that the bank was continuing to advance its digital transformation agenda, and Grisi's role was expected to include furthering these efforts at the group level. This has included investments in digital banking platforms, the simplification of the bank's technology infrastructure, and efforts to leverage data and technology to improve customer service and operational efficiency across the group's various markets.

Personal Life

Héctor Grisi Checa maintains a relatively private personal life. At the time of his appointment as Group CEO, Reuters noted that he is a jogger, indicating an interest in fitness and running. Beyond this, detailed information about his family life and personal interests has not been extensively documented in public sources.

Recognition

Grisi's appointment as Group CEO of Banco Santander in 2022 represented one of the most significant executive appointments in European banking that year, given the bank's position as one of the largest financial institutions in the eurozone by market capitalization. His selection was covered extensively by international financial media including Reuters, Bloomberg, and various financial services trade publications.

Under Grisi's leadership, Banco Santander achieved its highest-ever annual profit in 2023 and continued to set new records in subsequent periods. His profile as a banking leader has continued to grow, as evidenced by his participation in major industry events such as the Santander International Banking Conference in 2025, where he was featured in a high-profile conversation on financial competitiveness.

Grisi's career trajectory—from investment banking through the leadership of Santander's Mexican operations to the group CEO role—has been noted as an example of career development within the broader Santander organization, reflecting the bank's practice of developing senior leaders through significant operational roles across its global network.

Legacy

As Grisi's tenure as Group CEO of Banco Santander continues, his legacy is still being defined. The period of his leadership has thus far been marked by record financial performance, strategic acquisitions, and a continued emphasis on digital transformation and customer-centric banking.

His appointment as the first Mexican national to serve as Group CEO of Banco Santander represented a notable development in the bank's history, reflecting the growing importance of the bank's operations in the Americas within its overall global strategy. Having previously led one of the bank's most significant subsidiaries in Latin America, Grisi brought an operational perspective from outside the bank's traditional European base to the group-level leadership role.

The strategic direction Grisi has pursued—emphasizing growth even in an environment of declining interest rates, pursuing acquisitions such as TSB, and maintaining focus on digital transformation—will likely define how his tenure is assessed in the longer term. His stated aim of "forceful growth" has signaled an assertive posture for the bank in a competitive global banking landscape.