Santander Brasil Taps B3 CEO Gilson Finkelsztain to Lead Next Phase of Growth

Banco Santander (Brasil) said Friday (March 20) that Gilson Finkelsztain, CEO of Brazilian stock exchange B3, will become its new CEO when Mario Roberto Opice Leão steps down from that position at the Brazilian bank by the middle of the year.

Leão will step down as CEO by July, Santander Brasil said in a Friday filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He will continue to lead the bank until the transition is complete.

Finkelsztain’s appointment as CEO is subject to regulatory approvals, according to the filing.

Banco Santander Executive Chair Ana Botín announced the leadership transition in a Friday post on LinkedIn.

According to the SEC filing, Finkelsztain held positions at Citibank, J.P.Morgan and Santander Brasil before becoming CEO of B3.

“He brings a strong background and experience in Brazil’s financial sector — including Santander — placing him well to lead the next phase of profitable growth at Santander Brazil,” Botín said in her post.

Leão has been with Santander for 11 years and has been CEO and a member of the board of directors for five years, according to the SEC filing. He previously served as vice president of the banks’ Corporate segment and director of its Corporate & Investment Banking segment.

Botín said in her post that Leão informed the bank earlier this year of his decision to step down, enabling a well-planned succession.

“Thanks to his leadership, the bank is today a more diversified, agile and strong organization,” Botín said in her post. “We visited many customers together, from large companies to self-employed and entrepreneurs across the country, to learn about their businesses.”

In a post on LinkedIn translated by the platform, Leão said until the leadership transition is complete, he will continue as CEO and nothing will change.

“Having led this company with all my strength and energy throughout these years, I couldn’t be happier with what we have experienced since then,” Leão said of his five years as CEO. “We are transforming our portfolio, our results, our journeys and, above all, our absolute focus on the customer vision — and, from there, our increasingly strong culture of service.”

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