Lara de Mesa is Head of Responsible Banking at Santander since September 2018. From this position, and reporting to the Head of the Executive Chairman’s Office, she leads the team which aim is to make Santander one of the most responsible banks in the world, to develop business and corporate activity in a responsible way, delivering clear and measurable progress and helping people and business prosper. For doing this her team engages with all areas and countries where Santander is present in a joint effort and reports to Santander’s Responsible Banking, Sustainability and Culture Board Committee.
Prior to this position, Lara was Head of Public Policy at Santander Bank since May 2006. This department is responsible for monitoring financial regulatory initiatives and engage on the policy debate at international and European levels and in the markets where Santander is present, working with industrial associations and domestic & international regulatory bodies.
Her career began in Analistas Financieros Internacionales where she worked on strategic and economic consulting and housing finance for international public and private entities, including the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, including fieldwork in Latam and Eastern Europe. She was partner of this firm from 2004.
She is a member of the Stakeholders Banking Group of the European Banking Authority; and of the IIF Future Leaders Group – Class of 2018.
Lara has given training courses and seminars on public economics and policy issues in both an academic and professional context. She has attended seminars from MIT, Harvard, Wharton, IESE and IE among others. She has an Msc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE, UK), and holds an Advanced Studies Diploma and a Bachelor´s Degree in Economics from Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain.
