Career moves

The U.S. arm of Spanish banking giant Santander has hired Swati Bhatia to oversee retail banking and its digital transformation efforts. Bhatia joins at "an inflection point" for the company, which aims to be "a digital bank with branches," CEO Tim Wennes said.

Ally Financial ended a six-month search for its next chief executive by hiring Discover CEO Michael Rhodes. The move adds a new wrinkle to Discover's pending sale, though Discover said that Rhodes hadn't been expected to have a long-term role at Capital One following the merger's completion.

The bank has also hired some analysts to its infrastructure group over the past several weeks as it plans to beef up its muni team.

Greg Wilson of the Wall Street giant's Asset & Wealth Management unit wants to provide employees with tailored plans using a blend of technology and personal financial coaching.

Industry recruiters see the changes as intended to make client assets and advisory teams "stickier" and to retain executive talent.

Douglas Timmerman, the company's president of dealer financial services, will step in when Jeffrey Brown departs at the end of January. Ally continues its hunt for a permanent CEO.

Mike Weinbach, a former Wells Fargo and JPMorgan leader, will replace president Chris Marshall who's expected to retire at the end of this year.

The appointment of Lynne Biggio Herndon as chief credit officer marks the final step in the Phoenix-based bank's leadership reorganization.

Two frontrunners have emerged as possible successors to the long-serving CEO, but even more potential candidates wait in the wings.

Scott Stengel, who has been Ally's general counsel since 2016, will succeed Ellen Fitzsimmons, who is retiring after four years as head of legal affairs at Truist.

The change comes over massive overhaul as the mega bank seeks to build divison under Sieg.

Wiggan is taking the place of Ray Chun, who will run the Canadian personal banking division.

Morais, who leads the auto lender's consumer and commercial banking divisions, is preparing to leave as Ally Financial conducts a search for its next chief executive officer. She had been seen as a potential candidate to replace outgoing CEO Jeffrey Brown.

A group of about 10 bankers reportedly is departing Citi for Jefferies.

The pressures and frustrations of daily work lose some of their ability to aggravate when you consider how much real choice you have in the matter.

Mago, who was fourth on American Banker's Most Powerful Women to Watch list this year, succeeds Brian Fishel, who is retiring.

The regional bank announced a near-doubling of the size of its most-senior leadership team, plus expanded roles for two former SunTrust executives and the hiring of a wholesale banking chief from Wells Fargo. Truist is under pressure to improve both its efficiency and its financial performance.

The new chief financial officer, Chris Doll, is City National's third recent hire from Fifth Third. At yearend, he will succeed John Bai, who spent close to a decade in roles with Royal Bank of Canada and City National.

Thomas Nides, who until recently was U.S. ambassador to Israel, is leaving his post as the megabank's head of lobbying, communications and community relations. He said recent events in Israel and Gaza "have had a profound effect on me, in ways that I could not have imagined."

Pick, 54, a co-president and three-decade veteran of the firm, will be elevated to the top role in January and join the board, the bank said. Gorman, 65, will stay on as executive chairman.