The Latest from Women in Banking

Ana Patricia Botin, named chairman of Banco Santander SA (SAN), becomes the most powerful woman in European banking, succeeding her father a day after his death.

Peyton Patterson has resigned from Bankwell Financial in New Canaan, Conn., less than two months after she was ordered to pay $350,000 in Amex bills and had to resolve other personal financial matters. She had led the company since 2012.

Jennifer Openshaw has been named the executive director of the Financial Women's Association, a nonprofit business forum for women.

Irene Dorner did a lot to turn around HSBC's troubled U.S. operations following violations of U.S. anti-money-laundering regulations that led to a record penalty, but successor Patrick Burke and a new U.S. compliance chief will have to pick up the recovery at its midpoint and finish the job.

Women need to stop stressing out about giving equal attention to personal and professional goals, Teresa Taylor writes in her latest book. Taylor, a director at First Interstate BancSystem, also advises women to be more aggressive with networking if they want to sit on more corporate boards.

When women reject or reframe career-limiting assumptions, they are able to get ahead at their jobs without sacrificing having a family.

Alice Hensen, president of the Bank of Sun Prairie in Wisconsin, is one of the many bankers who delayed retirement to help their banks survive the financial crisis. She is stepping down now that her bank's troubles are past and hopes it can find some "new blood."

Beverly Anderson, a veteran banker in charge of Wells Fargo's new credit card push, shares her advice for how banks can pull women and people of color into their senior executive ranks.

General Motors CEO Mary Barra has been out front and center during the auto manufacturer's massive recalls this year. Most bank chiefs appear less willing to be the public face of a disaster — with the notable exception of HSBC USA's Irene Dorner.

Work/life balance, and the payments world itself, have something in common — they are undergoing radical change, according to women executives in the industry who shared tales about leading both efforts.