Tanaya Macheel

Synechron, a consulting firm to the financial services industry, has acquired Crossbridge, a London-based consulting firm.

Santander Group, the Spanish banking giant, has invested several million dollars in Ripple, one of the most prominent startups in the hotly discussed field of distributed-ledger technology.

Fed Banks' Payouts; Cutting Coal Mining

Lebenthal Holdings, the family-owned wealth management firm run by Alexandra Lebenthal, has hired former Ally Bank chief Barbara Yastine to be co-chief executive.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., has agreed to acquire a stake in Miller Insurance Services, a Lloyd's market broker.

Emclaire Financial in Emlenton, Pa., has exited the Small Business Lending Fund.

One woman on the all-male management board is not too much to ask, especially if it can take two years (or 20?) to get there, Deutsche Bank decides; Goldman, Morgan Stanley and Citi try mending their leaky pipeline, with some success (but sadly, 100 more years of this is what we're looking at, ladies); also get updates on Mary Jo White, Sallie Krawcheck and WomenCorporateDirectors.

The $17 billion-asset holding company for First National Bank of Pennsylvania plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, according to a Wednesday news release.

Thirteen banks have joined an alliance to develop commercial applications of distributed ledger technology in the financial industry.

Nicolet Bankshares in Green Bay, Wis., has redeemed about half of its outstanding preferred stock in the Small Business Lending Fund.