Ralph Hamers

Ralph Hamers
Born	Ralph Adrianus Joseph Gerardus Hamers 25 5, 1966
Birthplace	Simpelveld, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Occupation	Banking executive, investor
Known for	CEO of UBS Group (2020–2023), CEO of ING Group (2013–2020)
Education	Master of Science in Business Econometrics/Operations Research
Children	2

Ralph Adrianus Joseph Gerardus Hamers (born 25 May 1966) is a Dutch banking executive who served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of UBS Group from September 2020 to April 2023 and as the CEO of ING Group from October 2013 to June 2020. Born in the small southern Dutch town of Simpelveld, Hamers spent more than two decades climbing the ranks of ING before leading it as CEO, during which time he became known for his emphasis on digital transformation and technology-driven banking. His tenure at ING was marked both by the bank's significant technological modernization efforts and by a major money laundering settlement that cast a long shadow over the institution. In February 2020, UBS announced his appointment as Group CEO, positioning Hamers as a leader who could bring a digital-first approach to Switzerland's largest bank. He departed UBS in 2023 when the bank brought back former CEO Sergio Ermotti to oversee the integration of Credit Suisse. Since leaving UBS, Hamers has taken on advisory and investment roles in the financial technology sector.

Early Life

Ralph Hamers was born on 25 May 1966 in Simpelveld, a municipality in the province of Limburg in the southeastern Netherlands. Simpelveld is a small town near the German and Belgian borders in the hilly southern tip of the country. Hamers grew up in this region of the Netherlands, which is culturally distinct from the Randstad urban centers of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague.

Details about Hamers' family background and childhood are limited in publicly available sources. His full birth name — Ralph Adrianus Joseph Gerardus Hamers — reflects naming traditions common in the predominantly Catholic southern provinces of the Netherlands.

Hamers pursued his higher education at Tilburg University, a research university in the southern Netherlands known for its economics and business programs. He studied Business Econometrics and Operations Research, a quantitative discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to business decision-making. He obtained a Master of Science degree in this field. This quantitative educational background would later inform his approach to banking leadership, particularly his emphasis on data analytics and digital technology as tools for transforming financial services.

Education

Hamers earned a Master of Science (MS) degree in Business Econometrics and Operations Research from Tilburg University in the Netherlands. The program combines mathematical modeling, statistics, and economic theory with practical applications in business optimization and decision sciences. This technical and analytical training distinguished Hamers from many of his peers in the banking industry who typically held more traditional degrees in finance, economics, or law. His quantitative background became a defining feature of his leadership identity, particularly as the financial services industry increasingly turned toward technology and data-driven strategies in the 2010s.

Career

Early Career at ING

After completing his studies, Hamers joined ING Group, one of the Netherlands' largest financial institutions, where he would spend the majority of his professional career spanning over two decades. ING, which stands for Internationale Nederlanden Groep, is a multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam. During his time rising through the organization, Hamers held a series of positions across various business lines and geographies within ING's global operations.

Hamers gained experience in multiple segments of the bank's operations, including retail banking and international markets. His career trajectory within ING took him through various leadership roles in different countries, providing him with broad international experience in financial services management. This long tenure within a single organization gave Hamers deep institutional knowledge of ING's operations and culture, which positioned him for the eventual appointment to the top executive role.

CEO of ING Group (2013–2020)

Hamers was appointed chief executive officer of ING Group in October 2013. At the time of his appointment, ING was in the process of recovering from the global financial crisis of 2008, during which the Dutch government had provided the bank with a significant bailout. The bank was working to restructure its operations and repay state aid.

During his tenure as CEO, Hamers became identified with a push to transform ING into a technology-driven, digital-first banking institution. He championed the use of technology and data analytics to improve customer experience and streamline operations. His approach drew attention within the European banking sector, where many traditional institutions were grappling with how to compete with emerging fintech companies and adapt to changing consumer expectations around digital services.

Under Hamers' leadership, ING pursued a strategy that emphasized mobile banking, platform-based business models, and operational efficiency through technology. The bank invested in digital capabilities and sought to position itself as a technologically advanced institution within the European banking landscape.

ING Money Laundering Settlement

A significant event during Hamers' tenure as ING CEO was the bank's September 2018 settlement with Dutch prosecutors over failures in its anti-money laundering (AML) controls. ING agreed to pay a total of €775 million — comprising a €675 million fine and €100 million in disgorgement — in connection with the bank's failure to adequately prevent money laundering through its accounts over an extended period. At the time, the settlement was one of the largest of its kind in European banking history.

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service found that ING had failed to adequately screen customers and monitor transactions for signs of money laundering and other financial crimes. The settlement raised questions about the bank's internal compliance culture and the oversight exercised by its senior leadership during the period in question.

Although Hamers was not personally charged as part of the 2018 settlement, the matter continued to follow him. In December 2020, after he had already assumed the role of CEO at UBS, Dutch prosecutors opened a personal investigation into Hamers' potential individual liability in connection with the money laundering failures at ING.

The investigation attracted significant media attention and placed both Hamers and UBS under scrutiny. In December 2025, a court in The Hague ruled that Hamers would not face further prosecution in connection with the ING money laundering case, finding that a conviction was unlikely. The ruling brought a conclusion to the legal proceedings that had persisted for several years.

Departure from ING

In June 2020, Hamers left ING Group after nearly seven years as CEO. His departure was linked to his appointment as the incoming CEO of UBS, which had been announced in February 2020. During his tenure, ING had undergone substantial changes in its digital capabilities and strategic positioning, though his leadership period was also indelibly associated with the AML settlement.

CEO of UBS Group (2020–2023)

On 19 February 2020, the Board of Directors of UBS Group AG announced that it had appointed Ralph Hamers as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 November 2020. The announcement stated that Hamers would succeed Sergio Ermotti, who had led UBS since 2011. Hamers ultimately assumed the role in September 2020, slightly ahead of the originally announced date.

UBS described the appointment as part of its strategic focus on technology and innovation. The Wall Street Journal characterized the hire as UBS putting "digital first" with a "tech-savvy CEO," highlighting Hamers' track record of digital transformation at ING. Reuters similarly described the appointment as UBS starting a "new chapter with Dutch tech innovator as chief," noting that Hamers' background in technology-driven banking was a central factor in his selection. The Financial Times also covered the appointment, noting the significance of selecting an outsider from a different banking tradition to lead the Swiss institution.

As CEO of UBS, Hamers was tasked with advancing the bank's digital strategy while maintaining its position as the world's largest wealth manager. UBS, headquartered in Zurich, is one of the most prominent financial institutions globally, with significant operations in wealth management, investment banking, asset management, and retail and corporate banking in Switzerland.

Shortly after assuming the UBS role, Hamers faced the complication of the Dutch investigation into his potential personal liability in the ING money laundering case. The probe, announced in December 2020, created an unusual situation in which the sitting CEO of one of the world's largest banks was simultaneously under criminal investigation in his home country in relation to his previous employer. UBS expressed support for Hamers during this period.

Hamers also served on the Board of the Institute of International Finance (IIF), a global association of financial institutions, during his time as a major bank CEO.

Departure from UBS

In March 2023, UBS agreed to acquire its rival Credit Suisse in an emergency rescue brokered by the Swiss government and regulators, following a crisis of confidence in Credit Suisse. On 29 March 2023, UBS announced that it would bring back Sergio Ermotti as Group CEO to oversee the integration of Credit Suisse, replacing Hamers. The decision reflected UBS's view that Ermotti's prior experience leading the bank and his deep knowledge of Swiss regulatory and political dynamics made him better suited to manage the complex and politically sensitive task of integrating Credit Suisse.

Hamers' departure from UBS after approximately two and a half years as CEO marked the end of his tenure leading one of the world's largest financial institutions. Reports later indicated that Hamers had been considered for other major banking leadership roles, including at ANZ Group in Australia, where he reportedly impressed the board during their search for a new CEO.

Post-UBS Activities

Following his departure from UBS, Hamers transitioned into advisory and investment activities in the financial technology sector. In October 2024, it was reported that Hamers had become an "angel investor" and external senior advisor to Arta Finance, a United States-based wealth management startup that uses artificial intelligence-driven technology.

Arta Finance, which operates in the wealth management space with an emphasis on AI and technology, represents a continuation of Hamers' longstanding interest in the intersection of financial services and technology. His role as both an investor and advisor at the firm positioned him within the growing fintech ecosystem that is seeking to challenge and complement traditional wealth management services.

Personal Life

Ralph Hamers was born and raised in Simpelveld in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. He has two children.

Hamers has maintained a relatively low public profile regarding his personal life. Beyond his professional activities, limited information about his private affairs is available in public sources. During his career as a banking executive, he resided in various locations connected to his professional roles, including the Netherlands during his ING tenure and Switzerland while serving as CEO of UBS.

Recognition

Hamers received attention within the banking and financial services industry primarily for his approach to digital transformation and technology-driven banking strategy. His appointment as CEO of UBS in 2020 was covered extensively by major financial publications including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Reuters, and Bloomberg, with outlets noting his reputation as a technology-focused banking leader.

During his career, Hamers served on the Board of the Institute of International Finance (IIF), a position that placed him among a group of senior leaders from the world's largest financial institutions.

His leadership approach at ING, which emphasized mobile-first banking and platform-based business models, drew attention within the European banking sector as traditional banks sought strategies to adapt to the digital era. The decision by UBS — one of the world's most prominent and traditional wealth management institutions — to recruit Hamers from ING was itself interpreted by financial media as a signal of the increasing importance of technology and digital innovation in the global banking industry.

The ING money laundering settlement of 2018, while not a recognition in the positive sense, was a significant event that drew substantial public and regulatory attention to Hamers' tenure as ING CEO. The subsequent investigation and eventual clearing by a Dutch court in December 2025 were covered by financial and legal media outlets.

Legacy

Ralph Hamers' career in banking spans a period of significant transformation in the financial services industry, from traditional branch-based banking to digital and mobile-first platforms. His professional legacy is shaped by two primary themes: his role as an advocate for digital transformation in banking and the ING money laundering settlement that occurred under his leadership.

At ING, Hamers led efforts to reposition the bank as a technology-oriented institution, pursuing a strategy that emphasized digital channels, data analytics, and streamlined operations. This approach attracted the attention of UBS, which selected him specifically for his technology credentials when seeking a successor to Sergio Ermotti in 2020. The selection of Hamers by UBS was notable as it brought an outsider from a different banking tradition — Dutch retail and commercial banking — to lead a Swiss institution primarily known for private banking and wealth management.

The €775 million ING settlement with Dutch prosecutors in 2018 remains one of the largest AML-related penalties in European banking history and raised broader questions about compliance oversight at major financial institutions. The subsequent investigation into Hamers' personal liability, and his eventual clearance by a Dutch court in 2025, added a further chapter to the complex relationship between executive accountability and institutional compliance failures in the banking sector.

Hamers' departure from UBS in 2023, prompted by the extraordinary circumstances of the Credit Suisse acquisition, brought his tenure at the bank to an earlier conclusion than might otherwise have been expected. The decision to replace him with Ermotti reflected the unique challenges of the Credit Suisse integration rather than a judgment on Hamers' leadership of UBS during normal operations.

His subsequent move into fintech advisory and angel investing, including his role at Arta Finance, suggests a continued engagement with the themes of technology and innovation in financial services that defined his career as a banking executive.