Standard Chartered has appointed Margaret Harwood-Jones as Chief Executive Officer for Europe and the UK, effective 1 September 2026.
The newly unified role consolidates oversight of 11 markets across the region, supporting the bank’s recent expansion efforts that include a new representative office in Switzerland.
Harwood-Jones is currently the Global Head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered.
During her tenure, she transformed the bank’s Financing and Securities Services business and positioned it as a top three custodian bank across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
She also led the bank’s digital assets custody initiatives and brings over 30 years of financial services experience, following senior roles at BNP Paribas and HSBC.
“Europe and the UK are core to our global strategy, and there is significant opportunity to accelerate growth,”
said Margaret Harwood-Jones, incoming Chief Executive Officer for Europe and the UK at Standard Chartered.
She added that she looks forward to working with regional teams to draw on the bank’s cross-border capabilities and deliver long-term value.
Standard Chartered also appointed Jörg Hessenmüller as Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank AG, replacing Nicolo Salsano. Hessenmüller joined the bank in 2024 as Chief Operating Officer for the continental European entity.
His responsibilities were expanded last year to include Chief Technology and Operations Officer for Europe. Prior to this, he held banking and financial market roles at Commerzbank, mBank, and Dresdner Bank.
“Our strength lies in connecting clients to high-growth markets globally, and I look forward to building on this momentum,”
said Jörg Hessenmüller, incoming Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank AG.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by safdar07 via Magnific
